Difference of HBV genotype distribution between acute hepatitis and chronic hepatitis in Japan

• Published in: Infection Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 201 - 207
• Main Authors: Takeda, Y, Katano, Y, Hayashi, K, Honda, T, Yokozaki, S, Nakano, I, Yano, M, Yoshioka, K, Toyoda, H, Kumada, T, Goto, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Springer Nature B.V 01.08.2006
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Female; Genotype; Genotypes; Hepatitis; Hepatitis B - epidemiology; Hepatitis B - transmission; Hepatitis B - virology; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B virus - genetics; Hepatitis B virus - isolation & purification; Hepatitis B, Chronic - epidemiology; Hepatitis B, Chronic - transmission; Hepatitis B, Chronic - virology; Homosexuality, Male; Humans; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Japan - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Phylogeny; Japan
• ISSN: 0300-8126; 1439-0973
• DOI: 10.1007/s15010-006-5099-3

Recently genotype A which is rare in the patients in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) was frequently noted in patients with acute hepatitis B (AHB). To investigate their clinical and virological features, we studied the AHB patients in the past 5 years. 98 patients with AHB and 80 patients with CHB admitted to our hospital between 1998 and 2003 were studied. Genotype A was not found in CHB but was frequently noted in AHB (p < 0.001). Comparison of the clinical features of acute hepatitis between the two major genotypes, A and C, homosexual and heterosexual with multiple partners were frequently seen among genotype A patients (p < 0.001). On the other hand, infection from steady partner showed a tendency to be more frequent in genotype C (p = 0.065). In genotype A, the levels of HBVDNA on admission was higher (p = 0.007) and AHB has significantly more frequently progress to chronic infection than in genotype C (p = 0.028). Phylogenetic analysis of genotype A revealed that almost all strains from homosexual men belonged not to the African type A1 but to the Western type A2. Genotype A has increased recently among AHB in Japan. This fact may correlate to promiscuous intercourse in high risk group. Prophylactic efforts should be considered to prevent the prevailing of genotype A.