BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C subgroups in Hong Kong and their relationship with HBV genotype C in other parts of Asia. METHODS: Full-genome nucleotide sequences of 49 HBV genotype C isolates from Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B were compared with the sequences of 69 HBV genotype C isolates and 12 non-genotype C isolates in the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to define the subgroups of HBV genotype C on the basis of >4% heterogeneity of the entire HBV genome. RESULTS: HBV in 80% of patients in Hong Kong belonged to a subgroup predominantly found in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and southern China) designated as HBV genotype "Cs," and HBV in the remaining 20% of patients belonged to another subgroup, predominantly found in the Far East (Korea, Japan, and northern China), designated as HBV genotype "Ce." Overall, the mean+/-SD nucleotide sequence difference between HBV genotype Cs and HBV genotype Ce was 4.2%+/-0.3%. When HBV genotype Cs and HBV genotype Ce were compared among patients in Hong Kong, HBV genotype Cs was associated with a higher tendency to develop basal core promoter mutations (80% vs. 50%; P=.14), a higher prevalence of C at nucleotide 1858 (95% vs. 0%; P<.001), and a lower prevalence of precore stop codon mutations (5% vs. 50%; P=.002). CONCLUSIONS: HBV genotype C can be differentiated into 2 subgroups--namely, genotype Ce and genotype Cs--that have different epidemiological distributions and virological characteristics.
BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C subgroups in Hong Kong and their relationship with HBV genotype C in other parts of Asia. METHODS: Full-genome nucleotide sequences of 49 HBV genotype C isolates from Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B were compared with the sequences of 69 HBV genotype C isolates and 12 non-genotype C isolates in the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to define the subgroups of HBV genotype C on the basis of >4% heterogeneity of the entire HBV genome. RESULTS:HBV in 80% of patients in Hong Kong belonged to a subgroup predominantly found in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and southern China) designated as HBV genotype "Cs," and HBV in the remaining 20% of patients belonged to another subgroup, predominantly found in the Far East (Korea, Japan, and northern China), designated as HBV genotype "Ce." Overall, the mean+/-SD nucleotide sequence difference between HBV genotype Cs and HBV genotype Ce was 4.2%+/-0.3%. When HBV genotype Cs and HBV genotype Ce were compared among patients in Hong Kong, HBV genotype Cs was associated with a higher tendency to develop basal core promoter mutations (80% vs. 50%; P=.14), a higher prevalence of C at nucleotide 1858 (95% vs. 0%; P<.001), and a lower prevalence of precore stop codon mutations (5% vs. 50%; P=.002). CONCLUSIONS:HBV genotype C can be differentiated into 2 subgroups--namely, genotype Ce and genotype Cs--that have different epidemiological distributions and virological characteristics.
Authors: Sang Hoon Ahn; Henry L Y Chan; Pei-Jer Chen; Jun Cheng; Mahesh K Goenka; Jinlin Hou; Seng Gee Lim; Masao Omata; Teerha Piratvisuth; Qing Xie; Hyung Joon Yim; Man-Fung Yuen Journal: Hepatol Int Date: 2010-02-20 Impact factor: 6.047
Authors: Joseph J Y Sung; Stephen K W Tsui; Chi-Hang Tse; Eddie Y T Ng; Kwong-Sak Leung; Kin-Hong Lee; Tony S K Mok; Angeline Bartholomeusz; Thomas C C Au; Kelvin K F Tsoi; Stephen Locarnini; Henry L Y Chan Journal: J Virol Date: 2008-01-23 Impact factor: 5.103