Large-scale viral genome analysis identifies novel clinical associations between hepatitis B virus and chronically infected patients.

ABSTRACT: Despite the high global prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, datasets covering the whole hepatitis B viral genome from large patient cohorts are lacking, greatly limiting our understanding of the viral genetic factors involved in this deadly disease. We performed deep sequencing of viral samples from patients chronically infected with HBV to investigate the association between viral genome variation and patients' clinical characteristics. We discovered novel viral variants strongly associated with viral load and HBeAg status. Patients with viral variants C1817T and A1838G had viral loads nearly three orders of magnitude lower than patients without those variants. These patients consequently experienced earlier viral suppression while on treatment. Furthermore, we identified n

SUBMITTER: Podlaha O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6642195 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature