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Difference of Hepatitis B Virus Genotype Distribution in Two Groups of Mexican Patients with Different Risk Factors

2006; Karger Publishers; Volume: 50; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1159/000096307

1423-0100

L. Villalobos Sánchez, Yasuhito Tanaka, Montserrat Maldonado‐González, M. Mizokami, Arturo Panduro,

Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

<i>Background:</i> Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been classified in eight genotypes, from A to H (HBV/A to HBV/H). HBV genotypes were determined in two groups with different risk factors. <i>Methods:</i> Group I consisted of 42 patients with chronic and acute hepatitis and group II with 25 men who have sex with men (MSM). HBV genotypes were determined by DNA sequencing of the S-gene. <i>Results:</i> Both groups differed with respect to genotype distribution (p < 0.001). In group I, there were 31 (74%), 9 (21%) and 2 patients (5%) with HBV/H, HBV/D and HBV/A; respectively. In group II, HBV/H, HBV/A, and HBV/G were found in 13 (52%), 8 (32%) and 4 (16%) cases, respectively. By using an HBV/G-specific PCR, 3 more cases of HBV/G were identified in group II, rising to a total 28%. All HBV/G strains were present in coinfection with other HBV genotypes, 86% with HBV/H, and 14% with HBV/A. <i>Conclusions:</i> HBV/H predominated in both groups. A high frequency of HBV/G was found in MSM, which was always coinfected with HBV/H or HBV/A. Significant differences in HBV genotype distribution were also found, since HBV/D was present only in patients with liver disease, whereas HBV/G was present only in MSM.