Hepatitis B virus genotypes in children and adolescents in Japan: Before and after immunization for the prevention of mother to infant transmission of hepatitis B virus

The genotype distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was investigated in 118 children in Japan. One hundred and sixteen children (98%) had chronic HBV infection, and the remainder had acute hepatitis. Genotyping of HBV was determined by PCR and sequencing analysis in the S gene. Genotype C (86%) was the most frequent, followed by genotype B (9%), D (2.5%), and A (1.0%). Transmission routes of HBV to children were from mothers in 91 patients (77%), fathers in 8 (6.5%), mother or father in 1 (1%), family members other than the parents in 5 (4%), and unknown in 13 (11.5%). The relationship between routes of HBV transmission and HBV genotypes was studied. Eighty‐eight (97%) of 91 children of mother‐to‐infant transmission were genotype C, while 13 (49%) of 27 children of the routes other than the mother to infant transmission were genotype C. The number of children with genotype C who were infected from their mothers was significantly higher than those with genotype B, D, or A (P < 0.01). In conclusion, HBV genotypes influence not only clinical characteristics but also the mechanisms of inter‐personal HBV transmission. J. Med. Virol. 79: 670–675, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.