Characterization of seven genotypes (A to E, G and H) of Hepatitis B virus recovered from Japanese patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1

Abstract

To investigate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes and characteristics of HBV isolates among Japanese patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV), serum samples collected between September 1990 and March 2002 from 471 HIV-infected patients (age, 38.8 +/- 11.4 [mean +/- standard deviation] years; male, 90%) were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV DNA. Positivity for HBsAg and HBV DNA was seen in 42 patients (8.9%), 41 of whom had contracted HIV infection through sexual activity and 1 had hemophilia. Genotypes of HBV were determined by comparative and phylogenetic analyses of the S gene sequence (396 nucleotides [nt]). The distribution of HBV genotypes among the 42 HBV-viremic patients was: A (50%), B (5%), C (24%), D (5%), E (2%), H (10%), A plus D (2%), A plus G (2%). The hemophilia patient had HBV genotype D. Genotypes E, G, and H which had not been reported in Japan, were found in one patient each who had traveled to Zambia, the US, and South America, respectively. Genotypes A and D, which are rare in Japan, were found in patients who had no history of traveling abroad. The entire genome of the HB-JI411 (genotype E [3,212 nt]), HB-JI444G (genotype G [3,248 nt]), and HB-JI260 (genotype H [3,218 nt]) isolates had the highest identity of 98.3%, 99.9%, and 98.5%, respectively, with reported HBV isolates of the same genotype. Most Japanese patients coinfected with HIV and HBV had HBV genotypes that are found rarely or had not been reported in Japan.

Hepatitis B virus genotype G epidemiology and co-infection with genotype A in Canada

“…Canadian HBV/G was highly associated with MSM as a risk factor for infection, corresponding to previous studies (Bottecchia et al, 2008;Shibayama et al, 2005;Sánchez et al, 2007). When information is available regarding HBV/G co-infection, the co-infecting genotype is normally that which is highly prevalent within the geographical region, i.e.…”

“…Despite the apparent low prevalence of HBV/G throughout the world, the viral genotype appears to circulate globally, as it has been reported in several European countries (De Maddalena et al, 2007;Jardi et al, 2008;Lacombe et al, 2006;Tran et al, 1991;Vieth et al, 2002), North and South America (Alvarado-Esquivel et al, 2006;Bottecchia et al, 2008;Kato et al, 2004;Osiowy & Giles., 2003;Sánchez et al, 2007), Nigeria (Olinger et al, 2006) and Asia (Shibayama et al, 2005;Suwannakarn et al, 2005;Toan et al, 2006). Canadian HBV/G was highly associated with MSM as a risk factor for infection, corresponding to previous studies (Bottecchia et al, 2008;Shibayama et al, 2005;Sánchez et al, 2007).…”

Hepatitis B virus genotype G monoinfection and its transmission by blood components

“…Interestingly, some HIV patients, preferentially by risk group, are coinfected with HBV of rare genotypes. 11 The differences at the nucleic acid level of the S gene of our genotype G with other genotypes reflect only a few unique changes at the amino acid level (A/S45V, Q51L, T63I). The genotype G sequences revealed subtype adw2.…”

“…5 This genotype was also reported in a single patient from Mexico, 6 from Germany, 10 and, recently, from Japan. 11 The Japanese and German patients were also coinfected with HIV type 1. The patient in Japan belonged to a risk group presumed to have acquired HBV and HIV infections while traveling in the United States.…”

Identification of novel recombinants of hepatitis B virus genotypes F and G in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients from Argentina and Brazil

“…Genotypes/subgenotypes have distinct geographical distributions: HBV/A and HBV/D are found worldwide, HBV/B and HBV/C are found in east/south-east Asia, HBV/E in west/central Africa, and HBV/F and HBV/H in native populations of the Americas (Araujo et al, 2011; Kramvis et al, 2005). HBV/G was described by Stuyver et al (2000) and, despite low prevalence, seems ubiquitous, as it has been reported in Europe (Lacombe et al, 2006;Vieth et al, 2002), the Americas (Alvarado-Esquivel et al, 2006;Alvarado Mora et al, 2011;Bottecchia et al, 2008;Chu et al, 2003;Osiowy et al, 2008), Asia (Shibayama et al, 2005;Toan et al, 2006) and Africa (Olinger et al, 2006;Toan et al, 2006). HBV/G is frequently reported in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Dao et al, 2011;Zehender et al, 2003), particularly in men who have sex with men (MSM) (Bottecchia et al, 2008;Osiowy et al, 2008).…”