Hepatitis B Virus Genotyping: Is the Time Ripe for Routine Clinical Use?

Hepatobiliary Quiz 11 (2014)

“…Correct answers: 3 and 5 Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been divided into 8 genotypes labeled A to H based on a more than 8% structural variability in the genomic sequence. 56 Two new genotypes, I and G have been reported recently. Genotypes are typically distributed selectively in different regions of the world and hence direct clinical comparison of all the genotypes is difficult.…”

“…[57][58][59] However, the differences in clinical outcomes are not as clear for genotypes A and D with conflicting results in various studies. 56 Response to therapy with nucleos(t) ide analogs is not dependent upon genotypes 60 unlike that seen with interferon therapy. Response to interferon therapy is best with genotype A and worst with genotype D irrespective of HBeAg status.…”

Hepatobiliary Quiz-3 (2012)

“…1 Recently, two new genotypes have also been reported: genotypes I and J. Genotype I is a recombinant between genotypes A, C, and G which has been isolated from Laos and Vietnam. 2 Genotype J has been reported from the Ryukyu islands, Japan.…”

“…Genotype B is associated with milder disease, is more likely to be HBeAg negative and have less risk of development of hepatocellular carcinoma compared to genotype C. [4][5][6] The studies comparing the clinical outcomes and clinical severity of the disease between genotypes A and D have presented conflicting results without any clear result on which genotype is associated with more severe disease. 1 There is a gradation of e-antigen clearance/e-antigen seroconversion response when treated with pegylated interferon (IFN) according to the genotypes: SVR was 44.3%, 31.5%, 29.1%, and 24.4% among genotypes A-D-infected patients, respectively. In addition, long-term HBsAg loss/seroconversion was also significantly higher among genotype A infected chronic hepatitis B patients [both e-antigen-positive (15.3%, 1.7%, 2.2%, and 1.6% for genotypes A-D, respectively) and e-antigen-negative (20%, 6%, 9%, and 6% for genotypes A-D, respectively)] when treated with pegylated IFNs.…”