Determination of HBsAg subtypes in Western Siberian part of Russia

A set of monoclonal antibodies with specificity for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was used for subtyping this antigen in sera from indigenous natives, blood donors, and drug users in Western Siberia with a modified commercial enzyme immunoassay kit for HBsAg detection. Three subtypes of HBsAg in a ratio of 36 (78%) ayw2 :8 ayw3varB (18%):2 (4%) adw2 were found in 46 (100%) HBsAg‐positive sera of different aboriginal populations of Western Siberia: the Tundra Nenets, Northern Khanty, Southern Altaians, and Kazakhs. Four subtypes of HBsAg in a ratio of 81 (57%) ayw2 :58 (15 ayw3varA and 43 ayw3varB ; 44%):2 (1%) adw2 were detected in 141 (100%) samples of blood donors from ten cities of Western Siberia. Three subtypes of HBsAg in a ratio of 34 ayw3 :(both variants, 33 ayw3varA and 1 ayw3varB ; 97.1%):1 (2.9%) ayw2 were found in blood of 35 injection drug users in Novosibirsk. J. Med. Virol. 71:183–187, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.