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Hepatitis B virus genotypes: Do they play a role in the outcome of HBV infection?
Author(s) -
Fung Scott K.,
Lok Anna S. F.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840400407
Subject(s) - hepatitis b virus , virology , genotype , medicine , virus , immunology , biology , gene , genetics
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been classified into 8 genotypes (A-H) based on an intergroup divergence of 8% or more in the complete nucleotide sequence.1,2 Figure 1 illustrates the geographic distribution of HBV genotypes, but existing information is incomplete, as data in many parts of the world are not available or are based on very small numbers of patients studied. Additionally, the distribution of HBV genotypes may vary with time and with population migration, as demonstrated in a recent study in the United States.3 Furthermore, subtypes have now been identified within some genotypes. In the 2.5 years since our last editorial,1 there has been an explosion of knowledge in the literature on the epidemiology of HBV genotypes, and their association with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion, activity of liver disease, and treatment response.