Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the major causative agents of chronic liver diseases in Korea. HBV has been classified into 8 genotypes by a divergence of >8% in the entire genomic sequence, and have distinct geographic distributions. There are limited data on the relevance between HBV genotypes and clinical outcomes in Korea. To investigate the clinical feature relating to HBV genotype in Korea, a total 120 serum samples with HBsAg (65 from Seoul and 55 from the other city in Korea) were obtained from each 30 chronic HBV carriers with asymptomatic carrier (ASC), chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV genotype was determined by either enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies against genotype-specific epitopes in the preS2-region or the direct sequencing of small S gene. HBV genotypes were determined in 105 (87.5%) of 120 samples. HBV genotype C was identified in all HBV carriers with ASC, CH, LC, and HCC. Genotypes A, B, D, E, F and G were not detected in any of them. Genotype C HBV prevails predominantly among chronic carriers of the virus in Korea, irrespective of their clinical stages of liver disease and geographic origin.
Carrier State/*epidemiology/*virology ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus/*genetics/isolation and purification ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*epidemiology/*virology ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Liver Diseases/*epidemiology/*virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Risk Assessment/methods ; Risk Factors

Adult ; Aged ; B-Lymphocytes ; pathology ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver ; pathology ; Lymphoma ; etiology ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Staining and Labeling

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To investigate the Pre-Core mutations of HBV and clinical significance among families with history of chronic HBV infection.

<b>METHODSb>The G to A mutation at nucleotide 1896 in the pre C gene of HBV DNA was detected by PCR-RFLP.

<b>RESULTSb>The results showed that the mutation rate of G to A mutation at nucleotide 1896 in the pre C gene of HBV DNA was much higher in patients (56.3%) and their family members (40.5%) than in their spouses (25.0%). While the positive rate of anti-HBs in their spouses were 26.3%. On the other hand those mutations were much higher in chronic hepatitis B patients (52.4%) and HBV carriers (44.4%) than in chronic severe hepatitis B patients (20.0%).

<b>CONCLUSIONSb>The G to A mutation at nucleotide 1896 in the pre C gene of HBV DNA could be associated with persistent HBV infection.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Genes, Viral ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To study genotype distribution and the characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Uighur patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Xinjiang, China.

<b>METHODSb>Type specific primers and PCR were used to detect the HBV genotypes of 127 Uighur CHB patients in Xinjiang. Genotyping results were confirmed by PCR product sequencing.

<b>RESULTSb>Among the 127 patients, the proportions of genotype D, B, C and B/D, C/D, B/C/D were 39.4% (50/127), 22.0% (28/127), 16.5% (21/127) and 9.4% (12/127), 8.7% (11/127) and 3.9% (5/127), respectively. The distribution of the HBV genotypes showed no significant differences between male and female patients (x2 = 8.058, P > 0.05), between HBeAg positive and negative patients (x2 = 6.033, P > 0.05), and between patients of different ages (x2 = 3.137, P > 0.05).

<b>CONCLUSIONb>Genotype D HBV is predominant in Uighur patients with chronic hepatitis B in Xinjiang. The distribution of various HBV genotypes shows no significant differences between these Uighur patients with different HBeAg positivity, sex and age.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Viral ; Female ; Genome, Viral ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Genes, Viral ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Protein Isoforms ; Young Adult

<b>BACKGROUNDb>To study the relationship between HCV infection and the development of type II diabetes mellitus.

<b>METHODSb>1. The case record files of 126 patients with chronic hepatitis C vs. 227 with chronic hepatitis B were reviewed and the laboratory and demographic data were extracted. 2. Anti-HCV and HBsAg were determined for 160 type II diabetes patients and 223 healthy adults by ELISA.

<b>RESULTSb>1. The occurrence of diabetes in patients with chronic hepatitis C was 19.05%, higher than 8.37% in patients with chronic hepatitis B (P<0.01). Age and HCV infection were independent risk factors for diabetes. 2. Five patients with type II diabetes were anti-HCV positive (3.12%) while none of the 223 healthy adults was anti-HCV positive (P<0.05). Seven patients with diabetes (4.37%) and 12 healthy adults (5.38%)were HBsAg positive (P>0.05).

<b>CONCLUSIONSb>1. The occurrence of diabetes was significantly higher in patients with HCV related liver disease than in patients with HBV related liver disease. 2. The occurrence of anti HCV was higher in diabetes patients than in healthy adults. HCV may play a role in the development of diabetes mellitus.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; epidemiology ; virology ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; epidemiology ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; complications ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Random Allocation ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To study the prevalence of SEN virus (SENV) infection in CHB patients in five cities of China.

<b>METHODSb>A nest-polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used for detection of SENV-D and SENV-H in sera of 595 CHB patients from 5 cities of China and 96 normal individuals from Beijing. A total of 7 SENV strains were analyzed by direct sequencing.

<b>RESULTSb>The prevalence rates of SENV in CHB patients and normal individuals were 61.3% and 62.5%, respectively (chi(2) = 0.047, P = 0.829). The prevalence rates of CHB patients between 5 cities were different. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the homology between 4 SENV-D strains was 91% - 98% and 95% - 98% between 3 SENV-H strains isolated from 5 cities in China.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>SENV-D/H were prevalent in CHB patients of China and their prevalence rates were similar to that in normal individuals.

China ; epidemiology ; Circoviridae ; isolation & purification ; Circoviridae Infections ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; DNA Virus Infections ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; DNA Viruses ; isolation & purification ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; virology ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Prevalence

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To explore the viral and host causes of hepatosteatosis in Chinese patient with chronic hepatitis B.

<b>METHODSb>A total of 562 patients (450 males and 112 females, age range 13-80 years) with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis B were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: group without steatosis (460 patients) and group with steatosis (102 patients). The groups were compared in terms of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), liver enzymes, cholesterol, triglyceride, APO-A, APO-B, urine acid (UA), fasting serum glucose (FSG) and HBeAg, viral load.

<b>RESULTSb>Steatosis was present in 102 patients (18.15%). The degree of liver steatosis in 97 (95.10%) patients were less 30%. Steatosis was found in 98 (21.78%) of male patients and 4 (3.75%) of female patients (P < 0.01). In the group of chronic hepatitis B with steatosis, the prevalence of obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, alcoholic consumption, the BMI, cholesterol, triglyceride, UA and FSG levels were significantly higher than those in the group without steatosis (P < 0.01). No significant difference was found in the mean age, HBeAg, viral load between the two groups (P > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the present of steatosis was positively correlated to BMI, TG and UA.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>Hepatosteatosis in chronic hepatitis B appears to be a result of metabolic factors of the host rather than the effect of viruses.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Fatty Liver ; complications ; genetics ; pathology ; virology ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prevalence

<b>Objective:b> To investigate the effects of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype and mutations on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to establish a new qualified HCC risk scores. <b>Methods:b> A cohort study enrolling patients with chronic HBV infection was conducted. HBV genotypes were identified by nested multiplex PCR. HBV mutations in the basic core promoter region and PreS region were sequenced after PCR amplification. Scores on risk factors were set based on nomogram. <b>Results:b> Totally, 1 525 patients were followed-up in this research. A total of 1 110 patients infected with genotype C were followed-up for 8.52 (Q(R): 5.36-11.68) years on average, of whom the incidence of HCC was 11.93/1 000 person-years. In genotype C HBV infected patients, male gender, aged 40 years and over, and four DNA mutations (T1674CG, A1762T/G1764A, A3120T, and A2962G) can increase the risk of HCC (P<0.05); interferon therapy can reduce the risk of HCC (P<0.05). A new HCC predicting model was established according to the results. After validation, the predicted disease-free survival rate was consistent with the real one. <b>Conclusions:b> Hepatitis B virus genotypes and mutations were closely associated with HCC. The new risk scoring system can well predict HCC occurrence in genotype C HBV infected patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/virology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; DNA, Viral/genetics* ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics* ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications* ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/virology* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity