GOALS/ BACKGROUND: The importance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype and mutations has been increasingly recognized. We aimed to determine HBV genotype, precore (PC), and basal core promoter region (BCP) mutations in a HBV multiethnic South Florida population. STUDY: Samples from 213 patients were tested for HBV-DNA using Abbott RealTime HBV IUO assay, and for mutations using INNO-LiPA assay. RESULTS: Patients were predominantly male (67%); 61 (31%) were African American, 60 (28%) Hispanic, 37 (17%) Haitian, 27 (19%) white non-Hispanic, and 14 (6.6%) Asian. Genotype A was found in 101 (69%), D in 25 (17%), F in 9 (6%), G in 7 (5%), C and E in 6 (4%) each, B in 4 (3%), and H in 2 (1%) patients. Mixed genotypes were detected in 11 patients. Genotype A was more prevalent in all ethnicities except for Asian. Among hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients (59%), BCP, PC, and combined BCP/PC mutations were found in 30 (37.5%), 13 (16.3%), and 14 (17.5%), respectively. Genotype D was associated with higher frequency of HBeAg-negative status [18/24 (75%) vs. 62/121 (51%) P=0.03] and mutations [16/19 (84%) vs. 40/67 (60%) P=0.04] compared with others. Genotype A was negatively associated with mutations [26/31 (84%) vs. 30/55 (55%), P=0.009]. PC mutations were more common in genotype D (14/19, 73%) compared with genotype A (7/54, 13%, P<0.0001). One-hundred percent and 79% of Asians and Haitians had spontaneous mutations, respectively. All Haitians with genotype D had PC mutations and 3 (50%) had BCP/PC. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that HBeAg-negative status and spontaneous mutations were more common with genotype D; the presence of genotype D in Haitians was always associated with spontaneous mutations.
GOALS/ BACKGROUND: The importance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype and mutations has been increasingly recognized. We aimed to determine HBV genotype, precore (PC), and basal core promoter region (BCP) mutations in a HBV multiethnic South Florida population. STUDY: Samples from 213 patients were tested for HBV-DNA using Abbott RealTime HBV IUO assay, and for mutations using INNO-LiPA assay. RESULTS:Patients were predominantly male (67%); 61 (31%) were African American, 60 (28%) Hispanic, 37 (17%) Haitian, 27 (19%) white non-Hispanic, and 14 (6.6%) Asian. Genotype A was found in 101 (69%), D in 25 (17%), F in 9 (6%), G in 7 (5%), C and E in 6 (4%) each, B in 4 (3%), and H in 2 (1%) patients. Mixed genotypes were detected in 11 patients. Genotype A was more prevalent in all ethnicities except for Asian. Among hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients (59%), BCP, PC, and combined BCP/PC mutations were found in 30 (37.5%), 13 (16.3%), and 14 (17.5%), respectively. Genotype D was associated with higher frequency of HBeAg-negative status [18/24 (75%) vs. 62/121 (51%) P=0.03] and mutations [16/19 (84%) vs. 40/67 (60%) P=0.04] compared with others. Genotype A was negatively associated with mutations [26/31 (84%) vs. 30/55 (55%), P=0.009]. PC mutations were more common in genotype D (14/19, 73%) compared with genotype A (7/54, 13%, P<0.0001). One-hundred percent and 79% of Asians and Haitians had spontaneous mutations, respectively. All Haitians with genotype D had PC mutations and 3 (50%) had BCP/PC. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that HBeAg-negative status and spontaneous mutations were more common with genotype D; the presence of genotype D in Haitians was always associated with spontaneous mutations.