Precore/core promoter mutations and genotypes of hepatitis B virus in chronic hepatitis B patients with fulminant or subfulminant hepatitis.

The association of precore stop codon mutation (A1896), dinucleotide mutation (T1762/A1764) in the basic core promoter of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome, and genotype of HBV with fulminant or subfulminant hepatitis remains controversial. We studied HBV genotypes as well as mutations in the precore and basic core promoter regions in 18 hepatitis B carriers with fulminant or subfulminant hepatitis. Genotyping of HBV was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The presence of A1896 in the precore gene and T1762/A1764 in the basic core promoter gene was determined by the polymerase chain reaction and by direct sequencing. Eighteen age- and sex-matched patients with chronic active hepatitis B served as controls. The HBV was of genotype B in 14, genotype C in 3, and unclassified in 1. Precore A1896 mutation occurred in 12 (67%) of the 18 patients. In contrast, the prevalence of basic core promoter mutation was only 17%. Nevertheless, the distribution of HBV genotype and the prevalence of precore A1896 mutation in the fulminant and subfulminant hepatitis patients were similar to those in 18 control patients. In conclusion, the genomic variability of HBV does not seem to contribute to the fulminant and subfulminant exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B in Taiwanese HBV carriers.

Liu CJ ，Kao JH ，Lai MY ，Chen PJ ，Chen DS ... -  《JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY》

[The prevalence and clinical significance of precore and core promoter mutations in Korean patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection].

Kim HJ ，Yoo BC 《-》

Role of genotype and precore/basal core promoter mutations of hepatitis B virus in patients with chronic hepatitis B with acute exacerbation.

Tsai WL ，Lo GH ，Hsu PI ，Lai KH ，Lin CK ，Chan HH ，Chen WC ，Cheng JS ，Liu YC ，Huang TS ，Ger LP ，Lin HH ... -  《-》

Comparative study of genotype B and C hepatitis B virus-induced chronic hepatitis in relation to the basic core promoter and precore mutations.

Watanabe K ，Takahashi T ，Takahashi S ，Okoshi S ，Ichida T ，Aoyagi Y ... -  《JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY》

Evolution of precore/core promoter mutations in hepatitis B carriers with hepatitis B e antigen seroreversion.

Liu CJ ，Chen PJ ，Lai MY ，Kao JH ，Chen DS ... -  《JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY》