Emergence of hepatitis B virus genotype F in Aligarh region of North India

Introduction. HBV genotypes and subtypes are useful clinical and epidemiological markers. In this study prevalent HBV genotypes were assessed in relation to serological profile and clinical status. Material & Methods. 107 cases of HBV were genotyped. Detailed clinical history was elicited from them. HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBe, and anti-HBc-IgM were assessed. HBV genotyping was performed using Kirschberg's type specific primers (TSP-PCR), heminested PCR, and Naito's monoplex PCR. Nucleotide sequencing was performed. Results. A total of 97 (91%) were genotyped following the methods of Kirschberg et al./Naito et al. Genotype D was by far the most prevalent genotype 91 (85.04%) in this region. A surprising finding was the detection of genotype F in 5 (4.67%) of our patients. Genotype A strangely was observed only in one case. In 85.7% genotype D was associated with moderate to severe liver disease, 43.9% HBeAg, and 18.7% anti-HBc-IgM positivity. Majority of genotype F (80%) was seen in mild to moderate liver disease. It was strongly associated with HBeAg 60% and 20% anti-HBc-IgM positivity. Conclusion. Emergence of genotype F in India merits further study regarding its clinical implications and treatment modalities. Knowledge about HBV genotypes can direct a clinician towards more informed management of HBV patients.