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Correlation between viral load of HBV in chronic hepatitis B patients and precore and Basal core promoter mutations

Soad Ghabeshi1, Zohreh Sharifi, Seyed Masoud Hosseini

  • 1Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, IR Iran ; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IR Iran.

Hepatitis Monthly
|April 20, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore mutations are linked to higher viral loads in chronic HBV infection. This study found a significant association between precore region mutations and increased HBV viral load.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Hepatitis B virus (HBV) affects over two billion people globally, with 400 million chronic infections.
  • Key mutations include G1896A in the precore region and A1762T/G1764A in the basal core promoter (BCP).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between mutations in the precore (PC) and basal core promoter (BCP) regions of HBV.
  • To determine the correlation between these mutations and HBV viral load.

Main Methods:

  • Serum samples from 50 hepatitis B patients were analyzed.
  • HBV DNA was extracted and quantified using real-time PCR for viral load.
  • Precore/BCP mutations were identified using Line Probe Assay.

Main Results:

  • 76% of patients exhibited basal core/precore mutations, with a mean viral load of 3.7 x 10^6 IU/ml.
  • Prevalence of mutations was 46% in the precore region and 30% in the basal core promoter region.
  • A significant association was observed between HBV viral load and precore region mutations.

Conclusions:

  • A statistically significant relationship exists between HBV viral load and mutations in the precore region.
  • These findings highlight the clinical relevance of precore mutations in managing chronic hepatitis B.
Abstract

Keywords:
Hepatitis B VirusMutationsViral Load

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