ANALYSIS OF GENOTYPE, SUBGENOTYPE AND SEROTYPE OF OCCULT HEPATITIS B VIRUS

Öz

Objective: Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) can be characterized by the long-term persistence of HBV DNA in the liver of individuals who test negative for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) using the currently available assays. This study aimed to evaluate genotype, subgenotype and subtype profiles of HBVs obtained from patients with OBI. Material and Method: The study included 32 patients with OBI who were diagnosed with HBV DNA by Nested PCR method in liver biopsy samples of patients who underwent liver parenchymal biopsy due to HBsAg negative different clinic indications and 17 chronic hepatitis B patients. The MHR region of the HBV S gene was amplified using nested PCR. Sanger sequencing method was used to determine the genotype, subgenotypes and subtype/serotype of HBV. Results: In this study it was determined that the genotypes of all HBVs isolated from OBI and chronic hepatitis B patients were HBV/D, subgenotypes were respectively HBV/ D1 (75.5%), HBV/ D2 (6.1%) and HBV/D3 (18.4%), serotypes were respectively ayw2 (73.5%) and ayw3 (26.5%). Although the subgenotype of 28.1% of patients with OBI was determined as HBV/D3, none of the chronic hepatitis B patients had the HBV/D3 subgenotype. Conclusion: The potential effects of subgenotype HBV/D3 on the dynamics of viral biogenesis may be associated with OBI, characterized by low replication competence and HBsAg negativity.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• OBI
• Genetic diversity
• Genotypes
• Subgenotypes
• HBsAg Subtypes
• Hepatitis B virus

OKÜLT HEPATİT B VİRÜSÜNÜN GENOTİP, SUBGENOTİP VE SUBTİP ANALİZİ

Öz

Amaç: Okült Hepatit B Virus (HBV) enfeksiyonu (Occult HBV infection; OBI) mevcut serolojik testler ile HBV yüzey antijeni (Surface antigen; HBsAg) negatif tespit edilen bireylerin karaciğerinde HBV genomunun uzun süreli persistan varlığı ile karakterizedir. Bu çalışmada OBI tanılı hastalardan elde edilen HBV’lerin genotip, subgenotip ve subtip profillerinin karakteristiğinin irdelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya HBsAg negatif farklı klinik endikasyonlar nedeniyle karaciğer parankim biyopsisi gerçekleştirilen hastaların karaciğer biyopsi örneklerinde Nested PCR yöntemiyle HBV DNA varlığı tanımlanan 32 OBI tanılı hasta ile 17 kronik hepatit B hastası dahil edildi. HBV S gen MHR bölgesini hedefleyen DNA fragmanları nested PCR kullanılarak amplifiye edildi. HBV’nin genotip, subgenotip ve subtip/serotiplerinin belirlemek için Sanger sekans metodu kullanıldı. Bulgular: Bu çalışmada OBI ve kronik hepatit B hastalarından izole edilen HBV’lerin tümününün genotipi D, subgenotipler sırasıyla HBV/D1 (%75,5), HBV/D2 (%6,1) ve HBV/D3 (%18,4) serotipler sırasıyla ayw2 (%73,5) ve ayw3 (%26,5) olarak belirlenmiştir. OBI’li hastaların %28,1’nin subgenotipi HBV/D3 olarak belirlenmesine karşın kronik hepatit B hastalarının hiç birinde HBV/D3 subgenotipi saptanmamıştır. Sonuç: Subgenotip HBV/D3’ün viral biyogenezin dinamiği üzerindeki potansiyel etkileri HBsAg negatifliği ve düşük replikasyon yetkinliği ile karakterize OBI ile ilişkili olabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• OBI
• Genetik varyasyon
• Genotip
• Subgenotip
• HBsAg Subtipleri
• Hepatit B virüsü

Kaynakça

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