title: A SNaPshot assay for the rapid and simple detection of hepatitis B virus genotypes.
abstract: A simple technique for the identification of common genotypes of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains to be identified. The present study was conducted to establish such a methodology. Four plasmids of genotypes A‑D and 123 clinical serum specimens of HBV‑infected patients were genotyped. HBV genotypes would be detected successfully when the HBV genotype reached a viral load of 1 x 103 copies/ml or the BC genotype mixed samples reached a 5% level. The lower limit of detection of HBV DNA in serum specimens was determined to be 2.14x102 IU/ml. The assay sensitivity and specificity were 100% and the consistency was demonstrated to reach as high as 90.24 and 100% compared with that of the DNA sequencing and cloning. The frequencies of the genotypes B, C, BC, BD and BCD were found to be 65.0, 23.6, 7.3, 3.3 and 0.8%, respectively. The accuracy of detection of the mixed infections was also higher using the rapid and simple SNaPshot method compared with that achieved with the DNA sequencing methods. The results of the present study indicated that the SNaPshot technique accurately distinguishes the HBV genotypes A‑D and is able to be readily applied as a monitoring tool in HBV prognosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guoqi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wenlu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Center, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Liwen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zengchan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology on Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ailong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005838:Genotype; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral