Molecular Mechanisms during Hepatitis B Infection and the Effects of the Virus Variability

Abstract

The immunopathogenesis and molecular mechanisms involved during a hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have made the approaches for research complex, especially concerning the patients’ responses in the course of the early acute stage. The study of molecular bases involved in the viral clearance or persistence of the infection is complicated due to the difficulty to detect patients at the most adequate points of the disease, especially in the time lapse between the onset of the infection and the viral emergence. Despite this, there is valuable data obtained from animal and in vitro models, which have helped to clarify some aspects of the early immune response against HBV infection. The diversity of the HBV (genotypes and variants) has been proven to be associated not only with the development and outcome of the disease but also with the response to treatments. That is why factors involved in the virus evolution need to be considered while studying hepatitis B infection. This review brings together some of the published data to try to explain the immunological and molecular mechanisms involved in the different stages of the infection, clinical outcomes, viral persistence, and the impact of the variants of HBV in these processes.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis A Infection among Young Adults in Ilorin

“…The distribution of Hepatitis A among age groups 36-40 years has the highest prevalence rate of 4 (66.7%), while 30-35 years has a prevalence rate of 33.3%, which is consistent with work done at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, which has the highest prevalence on the 21-30years age group [23]. Hepatitis A is frequently asymptomatic in childhood, and its morbidity and mortality rates rise with age [24].…”

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among persons with hepatitis D virus and diabetes mellitus in Pakistan, 2019-2021

“…Interferon, liver transplants, and antiviral medications are used for the treatment of the HBV virus. These treatments prevent the effects of temperature or can slow down [16]. The lower limit of detection is 30IU/ml, with 100% viral load greater than 30IU/ml, the result was detected for those patients who have higher viral load than their sensitivity.…”

Genetic Diversity and Possible Origins of the Hepatitis B Virus in Siberian Natives

“…Phylogenetically, HBV is classified into at least eight genotypes designated A through H [6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Some authors additionally distinguish genotype I, which is considered a recombinant between genotypes A, C, and G, and the rare genotype J, which is highly divergent from others human HBV strains and is close to a gibbon HBV [cited from 13,14]. Further, within the genotypes, at least 42 subgenotypes have described, designated with Arabic numerals (A1, A2 etc.)…”

“…[15][16][17][18][19]. Strains of the same HBsAg subtype may belong to different (sub)genotypes and vice versa, but there is a predominant correlation between serological subtypes and genotypes [14,17]. The subtype and genotype classifications of HBV complement each other and are used in serological research (e.g., studies on vaccine efficacy or serological diagnostics) as well as in genetics studies on the evolution and molecular epidemiology of HBV.…”