OBJECTIVETo examine the incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) S gene mutation in recipients with recurrent HBV infection after liver transplantation (LT) and to evaluate the clinical significance of these mutants.

METHODSTwo-hundred-and-ninety-nine patients who received LT for HBV-related liver diseases in single centre were enrolled in the study and followed up. Serum HBV DNA was amplified by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and HBV-S gene mutation was detected by Sanger's enzymatic method.

RESULTSTwelve of the 299 patients developed recurrent HBV after LT, and 2 of these 12 carried a mutant of the HBV-S gene (incidence rate of 16.67%). One of the patients had T126I and G145A mutations, and the other had a M 133L mutation. Cox regression modelling identified the risk factors of HBV recurrence after LT as HBV-YMDD mutants (P =0.01), HBV-S mutants (P =0.03) and compliance decrease (P =0.03).

CONCLUSIONHBV-S mutants may contribute to recurrence of HBV after LT, and the mechanism should be addressed in future studies.

Adult ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Variation ; Hepatitis B ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics