title: The E genotype of hepatitis B: clinical and virological characteristics, and response to interferon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  10 hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes are known with different geographic distribution and response to interferon (IFN) therapy. The E genotype is the more prevalent genotype in West and Central Africa, but few data about response to IFN are available. We describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics in a cohort of patients immigrants from Africa in our country with HBV E genotype chronic hepatitis infection (CHB).
  
  
  METHODS
  63 patients with CHB and E genotype were included; 41 with CHB and low viral load were treated with PEG-IFN monotherapy; 10 with CHB and high viral load with sequential approach (entecavir and PEG-IFN). 12 patients with inactive CHB were followed with blood sample and abdomen ultrasonography every six months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The virological response in the monotherapy group was 17.9%. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss was observed in 1 patient (2.5%); 56 patients (88%) showed at the time of diagnosis of CHB another infectious diseases that required specific treatment before PEG-IFN; this treatment was also affected by an higher incidence of side-effects (>50%). All patients with high viremia showed a primary non-response to PEG-IFN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HBV E genotype evidences the worse response to PEG-IFN and maybe requires novel treatment options.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, C.so Svizzera 164, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: lucio.boglione@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boglione
authors.affiliation: Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, C.so Svizzera 164, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cusato
authors.affiliation: Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, C.so Svizzera 164, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cariti
authors.affiliation: Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, C.so Svizzera 164, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Perri
authors.affiliation: Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, C.so Svizzera 164, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: antonio.davolio@unito.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Avolio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007558:Italy; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine
keywords: E genotype; HBV; PEG-interferon; Serological response; Virological response