Prevalence of nucleotide 1858 variants of Hepatitis B Virus in HBsAg-positive Malaysians

Abstract

Hepatitis B DNA (HBV-DNA) was determined in 265 HBsAg-positive individuals using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Out of this, 35.8% (95/265) were positive for the viral DNA. Precore variants were analyzed and T-1858 variant (CCT as codon 15) predominate significantly over C-1858 variant (82.1% versus 14.8%; p < 0.0001). No individual was infected exclusively by the TAG mutant (TGG ➔TAG at codon 28) but three individuals were co-infected by a mixture of wild type and the TAG mutant. Relation between T-1858/C-I 858 variants and HBeAg/anti-HBe status showed that 55.1 % of T-1858 infected individuals were anti-HBe positive, 39. J % were HBeAg positive and 5.1 % were negative for both HBeAg and anti-HBe. This is not significant (p > 0.05). Individuals infected by the C-1858 variant had more HBeAg positivity (64.3% versus 28.6%; p < 0.005). When the prevalence of T-1858 variant was compared in the asymptomatic individuals, individuals with chronic hepatitis B and individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma, it was observed that many more of the asymptomatic and HCC individuals were infected by this variant than the individuals with chronic hepatitis (p< 0.001). In conclusion it was found that Malaysians were infected mainly by the T-1858 variant compared with those in the Western European countries where C-1858 predominates. Low TAG mutation was seen in our population.