Serotyping and genotyping of hepatitis B virus among HBsAg positive and negative hepatitis B patients in 8 cities of China

By polymerase chain reaction (PCR)and direct sequencing of HBV DNA products (53nd-513th nucleotides of S gene), the serotypes and genotypes of HBV in sera of 43 HBsAg positive &52 HBsAg negative HB patients enrolled from Changchun, Datong,Hangzhou,Shenzhen,Qingdao,Xi'an,Kunming and Lasa were determined. Comparison of the serotypes and genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) between HBsAg negative and positive Hepatitis B (HB) shown that adrq⁺was the most predominant serotype in both HBsAg positive and negative HB groups (58.1% and 40.0%,respectively),adw2 was the next (25.6% and 32.7%,respectively),ayw3 in the HBsAg negative HB group (19.2%) was more than in the HBsAg positive HB group(2.3%)(P<0.05)and aywl(0%) was less than the latter (11. 6%)(P<0.01). Genotype C was most frequent in both HBsAg positive and negative HB groups(62.8% and 61.5%,respectively). Genotype D (14.0% and 26.9%,respectively)and B (20.9% and 9.6%,respectively)were the next. Only 2 HBV strains of genotype A (each of the two HB groups)were identified. Some differences of HBV serotypes and genotypes among the 8 cities were observed in the two HB groups. The main HBV serotypes and genotypes of the two HB groups were similar,it indicated that low titer of HBV in blood was the major cause of HBsAg negative HB,and mutation of HBV played no significant role.