Independent emergence of a vaccine-induced escape mutant of hepatitis B virus

• Published in: Journal of hepatology Vol. 13; pp. S105 - S107
• Main Authors: Harrison, Tim J., Hopes, Elaine A., Oon, Chong Jin, Zanetti, Alessandro R., Zuckerman, Arie J.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 1991; Elsevier
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; DNA - genetics; DNA - isolation & purification; Epitopes - analysis; Epitopes - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics; Genome, Viral; Hepatitis B - microbiology; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - genetics; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B Vaccines; Hepatitis B virus - genetics; Hepatitis B virus - isolation & purification; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutation; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Time Factors; Vaccines, Synthetic - administration & dosage; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines - administration & dosage; Virology
• ISSN: 0168-8278; 1600-0641
• DOI: 10.1016/0168-8278(91)90037-C

We investigated the case of a child who was vaccinated at birth against hepatitis B and was also given hepatitis B immune globulin, but who nevertheless later became infected with the virus. Hepatitis B virus-specific deoxyribonucleic acid covering the region of the genome encoding the predominant a epitope of hepatitis B surface antigen was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction and the nucleotide sequence determined. We present evidence for the independent emergence of an escape mutant, similar to that previously identified in Italy, where a substitution of arginine for glycine has occurred in the second loop of the a epitope.