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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2004, p. 5036-5040, Vol. 42, No. 11
0095-1137/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.42.11.5036-5040.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Longitudinal Study of Hepatitis Activity and Viral Replication before and after HBeAg Seroconversion in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Infected with Genotypes B and C

Man-Fung Yuen,1 Scott K. Fung,2 Yasuhito Tanaka,3 Takanobu Kato,3 Masashi Mizokami,3 John Chi-Hang Yuen,1 Danny Ka-Ho Wong,1 He-Jun Yuan,1 Siu-Man Sum,1 Annie On-On Chan,1 Benjamin Chun-Yu Wong,1 and Ching-Lung Lai1*

Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong,1 Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada,2 Department of Clinical Molecular Informative Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan3

Received 30 May 2004/ Returned for modification 6 August 2004/ Accepted 12 August 2004

The aims of this study were to compare chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with genotypes B and C for the probability of HBeAg seroconversion, hepatitis activity, and viral replication before and after HBeAg seroconversion and to compare the prevalence of core promoter and precore mutations. A total of 180 asymptomatic Chinese patients with CHB were monitored for a median of 53.8 months, and 38 patients with cirrhosis-related complications were studied. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels were measured in 16 patients with HBeAg seroconversion at 3 months before, during, and 3 months after HBeAg seroconversion and in all patients at the last follow-up. Hepatitis B genotypes and core promoter and precore mutations were determined. Compared to patients with genotype C (n = 109), patients with subtype Ba (n = 69) had a higher rate of anti-HBe positivity on presentation (P = 0.05). HBeAg-positive patients with subtype Ba had a higher cumulative rate of HBeAg seroconversion than patients with genotype C (P = 0.02). However, there were no differences between the two groups with regard to the median HBV DNA levels before, during, and after HBeAg seroconversion; the probability of having persistently normal or elevated aminotransferase levels; and the median HBV DNA levels and liver biochemistry at the last follow-up. There was no difference in the prevalence of genotypes and core promoter and precore mutations between patients with and without cirrhosis-related complications. Though patients with subtype Ba had earlier HBeAg seroconversion, the liver biochemistry, HBV DNA levels in different phases of the disease, and the probability of development of cirrhosis-related complications were the same with genotypes Ba and C.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam Rd., Hong Kong. Phone: (852) 28554252. Fax: (852) 28162863. E-mail: hrmelcl{at}hkucc.hku.hk.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2004, p. 5036-5040, Vol. 42, No. 11
0095-1137/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.42.11.5036-5040.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Kanwal, F., Gralnek, I. M., Martin, P., Dulai, G. S., Farid, M., Spiegel, B. M.R. (2005). Treatment Alternatives for Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. ANN INTERN MED 142: 821-831 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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