Clinical ResearchHepatitis B virus genotype B is associated with earlier HBeAg seroconversion compared with hepatitis B virus genotype C☆,☆☆
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Patients
This is a retrospective study using stored sera from Chinese patients with chronic HBV infection seen in the Hepatitis Clinic, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, from 1984 to 1992. The clinical database was reviewed to identify all patients who had been followed for more than 1 year and had HBeAg/HBe antibody (anti-HBe) checked on at least 2 occasions during the first year with stable HBeAg status.
Patients were seen every 3 to 6 months or more often if clinically indicated. At each visit, liver
Baseline characteristics
A total of 332 patients were studied. The study population included 199 (60%) men and 133 (40%) women; mean age was 30 ± 1 years (range, 2–75 years). All the patients were ethnically Chinese. The mean duration of follow-up was 48 months (range, 12–98 months). At presentation, 172 (52%) patients were HBeAg (+) and anti-HBe (−), whereas 160 (48%) patients were HBeAg (−) and anti-HBe (+). The median serum ALT value was 34 IU/L (range, 6–1,700 IU/L).
HBV genotypes
Serum HBV DNA was detected in 98% (168/172) HBeAg
Discussion
Our study showed that HBV genotype B is associated with earlier HBeAg seroconversion than HBV genotype C among Chinese patients with chronic HBV infection. We found that patients with HBV genotype B had a significantly lower prevalence of HBeAg at presentation and a significantly higher rate of spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion during follow-up. We also showed that HBV genotype B patients who were HBeAg positive were significantly younger, and spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion occurred
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Cited by (424)
In vitro investigation of HBV clinical isolates from Chinese patients reveals that genotype C isolates possess higher infectivity than genotype B isolates
2022, Virologica SinicaCitation Excerpt :For example, in adulthood, acute hepatitis B patients infected with HBV genotype C are more prone to progress to chronic infection than genotype B infection (Zhang et al., 2008). In chronic hepatitis B patients, HBV genotype C infection is associated with more severe clinical outcomes, with delayed hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion and higher risk for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (Chu et al., 2002; Chan et al., 2004; Yang et al., 2008). To explain the reasons for these genotype-associated clinical outcomes, several in vitro studies have explored the impact of HBV genotypes on viral replication and protein expression by transfecting replication-competent HBV DNA into the hepatoma cells, which only mimics the later stages of the viral life cycle (Sugiyama et al., 2006; Qin et al., 2011; Sozzi et al., 2016).
Interpretation of HBV Serologies
2021, Clinics in Liver DiseaseCitation Excerpt :Similar lower rates of lower HBeAg seroconversion were reported by another group investigating Taiwanese patients 7.9% genotype C versus 15.5% genotype B.68 Genotype C patients are more prone to repeated episodes of acute exacerbation with failure of HBeAg seroconversion69 and HBeAg seroreversion after HBeAg loss.70 Chu and colleagues showed that HBeAg seroconversion occurs about 10 years earlier in genotype B as compared with genotype C patients.71 The impact of the HBV genotype has been characterized for genotypes A–D. Genotypes E–J occur much less frequently, therefore a paucity of data exists regarding response to therapy.
Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, the Microbiome, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma
2019, Gastrointestinal Diseases and Their Associated InfectionsHepatitis B Virus Genotype Influence on Virological and Enzymatic Measures over Time—A Retrospective Longitudinal Cohort Study
2023, Journal of Clinical Medicine
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Address requests for reprints to: Anna S. F. Lok, M.D., Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan Medical Center, 3912 Taubman Center, Box 0362, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109. e-mail: [email protected]; fax: (734) 936-7392.
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Supported in part by a VA Merit Award (to A.S.F.L.). Innogenetics provided the Inno-Lipa kits for HBV genotyping and detection of precore stop codon variant (G1896A).