Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been classified into eight genotypes (A-H) based on genome sequence divergence. Genotypes of HBV have distinct geographical distributions, and two genotypes account for most HBV worldwide. Hepatitis B e antigen expression lasts longer and liver disease is more severe with graver outcomes in carriers of genotype C than B in Asia. Accumulating lines of evidence indicat...

OBJECTIVE The prevalence and distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in Canada is not known. Genotypic analysis may contribute to a better understanding of HBV strain distribution and transmission risk. METHODS HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) positive samples of acute (n = 152) and chronic (n = 1533) HBV submitted for strain analysis or reference genotype testing between 2006 and 2012 w...

BACKGROUND Nonresolving inflammation and viral mutations are important in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. However, the effects of genetic polymorphisms affecting nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) on HBV persistence and generation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-related HBV mutations remain unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS rs28362491 (NFKB1 -94Ins > Del), rs2233406 (NFKBIA -82...

The characteristics of life-long persistent infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the prevalence of different genotypes of HBV in China may cause new recombinants. In north-west China, HBV inter-genotype recombinants have been reported frequently over the last decade. Here, we report a B/C inter-genotype recombinant HBV with a novel genome mosaic structure from Lanzhou, a city in north-west ...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a public health problem in developing countries. HBV genotypes play major role in the evolution of infection since they were involved in different clinical presentations and response to treatment. OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis for HBV genotyping. PATIE...

Genotype C of hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been shown to be associated with a poor clinical outcome, compared to genotype B. To explore the clinical phenotypes, with special reference to the seroconversion of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and frequency of acute exacerbation between patients infected with HBV genotypes B and C, a cohort of 272 Taiwanese patients with chronic HBV infection was ana...

BACKGROUND To assess the economic aspects of HBV (hepatitis B virus) transmission prevention for premarriage individuals in a country with cultural backgrounds like Iran and intermediate endemicity of HBV infection. METHODS A cost-effectiveness analysis model was used from the health care system and society perspectives. The effectiveness was defined as the number of chronic HBV infections av...

While the overall prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Portugal is around 1%, there are no published studies examining HBV genotypes in this country. This study aimed to survey HBV genotypes in the northern Portugal and to examine the possible associations between genotypes and gender, viral transmission routes, viral markers, viral load, and biochemical tests of liver function. T...

BACKGROUND The S gene region of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) codes for surface antigen (HBs Ag) and is responsible for classification of HBV strains. OBJECTIVES The current study aimed to identify important mutations in the S gene in Hepatitis B virus (HBV) isolated from Malaysian HBV carriers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Isolated HBV DNAs were subjected for PCR amplification and sequencing of HBV...

Nucleos(t)ide analog therapy blocks DNA synthesis by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) reverse transcriptase and can control the infection, but treatment is life-long and has high costs and unpredictable long-term side effects. The profound suppression of HBV by the nucleos(t)ide analogs and their ability to cure some patients indicates that they can push HBV to the brink of extinction. Consequently,...