Molecular characteristics of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in southeast China.
The characteristics of 30 carriers with occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) were compared with those of 30 individuals diagnosed as being HBV carriers at the time of blood donation, 60 asymptomatic carriers, and 60 chronic hepatitis patients. The prevalence of genotype C was significantly higher in carriers with OBIs than in any other HBsAg-positive (HBsAg(+)) group (P < 0.001). Specific amino acid substitutions in the regions from amino acids 117 to 121 and amino acids 144 to 147 located in the major hydrophilic region of the S gene were associated with carriers with OBIs (P < 0.01 for carriers with OBIs versus HBsAg(+) donors, carriers with OBIs versus HBsAg(+) asymptomatic carriers, and carriers with OBIs versus HBsAg(+) chronic hepatitis patients). G145R was the major variation in the HBV isolates responsible for local occult HBV infections.
Yuan
Quan
Q
National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Life Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China.
Ou
Shan-Hai
SH
Chen
Chang-Rong
CR
Ge
Sheng-Xiang
SX
Pei
Bin
B
Chen
Qing-Rui
QR
Yan
Qiang
Q
Lin
Yong-Cai
YC
Ni
Hong-Ying
HY
Huang
Cheng-Hao
CH
Yeo
Anthony E T
AE
Shih
James W K
JW
Zhang
Jun
J
Xia
Ning-Shao
NS
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D001782:Blood Donors; D002353:Carrier State / Q000821:virology*; D002681:China; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens