Strong association between genotype F and hepatitis B virus (HBV) e antigen-negative variants among HBV-infected argentinean blood donors

• Autores: França, Paulo H. C.; González, Jorge E.; Munné, María Silvina; Brandão, Larissa H.; Gouvea, Vera S.; Sablon, Erwin; Vanderborght, Bart O. M.
• Año de publicación: 2004
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Journal of Clinical Microbiology 2004; 42(11): 5015-5021.
• Materia: Hepatitis B; Antígenos del Núcleo de la Hepatitis B; Antígenos e de la Hepatitis B; Virus de la Hepatitis B; Genotipo; Polimorfismo Genético; Precursores de Proteínas; Donantes de Sangre; Argentina
• Institución: Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán"

Fil: França, Paulo H. C. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Departamento de Virologia; Brasil.
Fil: González, Jorge E. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Virología; Argentina.
Fil: Munné, María Silvina. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Virología; Argentina.
Fil: Brandão, Larissa H. Instituto de Diagnóstico Molecular Theranostica; Brasil.
Fil: Gouvea, Vera S. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Departamento de Virologia; Brasil.
Fil: Sablon, Erwin. Innogenetics NV; Bélgica.
Fil: Vanderborght, Bart O. M. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho; Brasil.
A number of reports have indicated an increased risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected individuals carrying HBV e antigen (HBeAg)-negative variants. Although distinct core promoter and precore mutations distributed according to geographical locality and viral genotype have been reported, epidemiological data from South America are still scarce. The prevalences of HBV genotypes and core promoter and precore polymorphisms in 75 HBeAg-negative Argentinean blood donors were surveyed. The observed frequencies of HBV genotypes were 64.0% for genotype F, 17.3% each for genotypes A and D, and 1.3% for genotype C. Genotype F strains were widely distributed and significantly more prevalent in the northern region of the country (P < 0.001). An overall high proportion of a stop codon mutation (UAG) at precore codon 28 (66.7%) was observed. Wild-type codon 28 (UGG) was present in 29.3% of the samples, and the remaining 4.0% of samples had mixed variants. The combination of A at nucleotide (nt) 1762 and G at nt 1764 of the core promoter was found in 58.7% of the samples. The variant profiles—T at nt 1762 and A at nt 1764 or A at nt 1762 and A at nt 1764—were detected in 28.0 and 1.3% of the samples, respectively. The observed core promoter polymorphisms could not be related to the ratio of HBeAg to anti-HBeAg antibody, HBV genotype, or precore codon 28 status. Nevertheless, a clear association of genotype F and a precore stop codon mutation was found (P < 0.05). In conclusion, HBV genotype F and mutant codon 28 strains predominated and were strongly associated in a geographically broad Argentinean blood donor population.