Occult hepatitis B virus infection: influence of S protein variants.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In occult hepatitis B viral infection (OBI), the persistence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA is associated with a lack of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). To assess the possible role of HBsAg immune escape variants in OBI patients, variability in the HBV S gene was evaluated for OBI patients as well as chronic HBV infection patients from the same families.

Methods

We selected 17 HBV DNA-positive/HBsAg-negative patients (OBI group) and 15 HBV DNA- and HBsAg-positive patients from OBI families (control group). The S gene was amplified and cloned, and at least 15 clones per patient were sequenced and analyzed.

Results

Although the incidence of stop codon mutations within the S region was higher in the OBI group (13.6 %) than in the control group (1.5 %, P <

SUBMITTER: Zhang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4717550 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature