Epidemiological, Virological and Clinical Characteristics of Hepatitis B Virus Genotypes in Chronically Infected Persons in Slovenia

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes have been shown to have virological, clinical, and therapeutic implications. Knowledge about HBV genotype distribution in Slovenia is scarce. This study was the first to determine various characteristics of patients with chronic HBV infection with regard to HBV genotypes at the national level. Methods: HBV genotype determination was performed on randomly selected patients out of 1,729 patients from all Slovenian regions who tested positive for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) at the national reference laboratory for viral hepatitis between January 1997 and December 2010. Demographic, epidemiological, virological, and clinical data were extracted from the medical records and statistically analyzed with regard to HBV genotypes. Results: A total of 186 HBsAg positive patients with the mean age of 40.1 years were identified from whom, 65.1% were male. 157 (84.4%) cases presented with genotype D, 23 (12.4%) with genotype A, and 6 (3.2%) with other HBV genotypes. Sexual transmission was more significantly associated with lower odds for HBV genotype D infection compared to blood-related risk factors (P = 0.023). Genotype A was significantly more common in men who had sex with men (P = 0.043). Compared to females with genotype D, genotype A positive women presented unknown risk factors more significantly (P = 0.002). Conclusions: HBV genotype D is the most prevalent genotype in Slovenia. However, future changes might be expected due to recent massive immigrations to Europe. Routine HBV genotyping is recommended in patients with certain risk factors prior to initiation of hepatitis B treatment.

The demographic and paraclinical characteristics of patients with hepatitis B presenting to Shahid Mohammadi Hospital and Clinic and other private clinics in Bandar Abbas, Iran

“…examined 186 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 65.1% (121) of the patients were male and 65 were female, which is consistent with this study. [20] In a study by Saeed et al ., the prevalence of hepatitis B was higher in married people than in single individuals, but this relationship was not statistically significant, which is similar to the present findings. [21]…”

Vaccination in the Yugoslav National Army: A Significant Risk Factor for Acquiring Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection During Army Service in the Former Yugoslavia

“…It is estimated that 257 million individuals worldwide are chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) (1). The average prevalence of HBV infection in Europe is about 2% and in Slovenia is less than 1% (2), and also HBV genotype D prevails in 84.4% of chronically infected Slovenians (3). HBV infection is the major cause of chronic liver disease and associated mortality, remaining high despite effective vaccines and treatments (4,5).…”

Hepatitis B Virus: From Diagnosis to Treatment

“…HBV is classified into ten genotypes (A-J), and 40 sub-genotypes till today, according to the phylogenetic analysis ( Rajoriya et al 2017 ). Genotype A is predominant in Northwest Europe, North America, and Africa; genotypes B and C prevail in East Asia and far East countries, while genotype D is widespread worldwide ( Arikan et al 2016 ; Kmet Lunacek et al 2017 ). Genotype E occurs only in West Africa ( Ambachew et al 2018 ).…”

“…2) (WHO 2019a). HBV genotypes and sub-genotypes have been reported to Diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B virus 4 393 effectively affect disease transmission, progression, and treatment outcome (Kmet Lunacek et al 2017). Therefore, identifying HBV mutations and genotypes is essential for both disease manifestation and identification of individuals at risk of infection progression.…”