Genotypic analysis of hepatitis B virus from patients with fulminant hepatitis: comparison with acute self-limited hepatitis

Abstract

Aim/background: There is an increasing evidence that certain hepatitis B virus (HBV) strains may contribute to the pathogenesis of fulminant hepatitis B (FHB). Recently, we reported that genotypes of HBV influence the clinical course of acute self-limited hepatitis B (AHB). In this study, we compared clinical features of FHB between different HBV genotypes and compared the prevalence of each genotype between FHB and AHB patients. Methods: The subjects consisted of seven patients with FHB and 25 patients with AHB. The core promoter and precore region were directly sequenced following polymerase chain reaction, and genotype was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the S gene. Results: Of the seven FHB patients, one had genotype A, one had genotype B, four had genotype C, and one had genotype D. Six of the seven FHB patients were infected by heterosexual contact; one FHB patient who was not infected by heterosexual contact had genotype C. All four FHB patients with genotype C had a short duration clinical course. In one patient with genotype A, the time from onset of hepatitis to hepatic coma was 30 days. These results are similar to those of the patients with AHB, in which clinical course was longer in patients with genotype A than in patients with genotype C. Conclusion: Viral genotype can be used to predict the clinical course of both FHB and AHB.