HBV Genotype in Northern Portugal

Abstract

Purpose: Several factors including viral, host and environmental ones have been reported as determining the progression of liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection. There is increasing evidence that HBV genotype may affect its clinical outcome and the response to antiviral therapy. Currently eight genotypes (A-H) of HBV are identified by a divergence of > 8% in the entire genomic sequence, and have distinct geographic and ethnic distributions. We assessed the genotypic profile of HBV infection in Northern Portugal. Methods: We have determined the genotypes and characterized the serological profiles of 97 patients. Genotyping was performed with conventional PCR with specific primers (as described by Naito, Hayashi and Abe, 2001). Sequencing DNA open gene with Tgene HBV Genotyping Kit (Bayer Healthcare) was used as confirmatory test. Results: In 97 caucasian patients (61 men, 36 women), 70% were genotype D, 21% genotype A, 6% genotype F, 2% genotype E and 1% genotype C. Our major cohort of HBV infected replicative patients was HBeAg negative (77%). In both e-positive and e-negative patients, genotype D predominates (82% and 67%, respectively) but HBeAg positive patients only had genotype D and A, with large genotype variety in HBeAg negative patients. Conclusion: In our HBV infected patients population, predominantly HBeAg negative, genotype D is the most prevalent (70%) along with a significant population of genotype A (21%).