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Published on: June 26, 2020
The E genotype of hepatitis B: clinical and virological characteristics, and response to interferon
Lucio Boglione1, Jessica Cusato1, Giuseppe Cariti1
1Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Turin, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, C.so Svizzera 164, Turin, Italy.
Objectives:
10 hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes are known with different geographic distribution and response to interferon (IFN) therapy. The E genotype is the more prevalent genotype in West and Central Africa, but few data about response to IFN are available. We describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics in a cohort of patients immigrants from Africa in our country with HBV E genotype chronic hepatitis infection (CHB).
Methods:
63 patients with CHB and E genotype were included; 41 with CHB and low viral load were treated with PEG-IFN monotherapy; 10 with CHB and high viral load with sequential approach (entecavir and PEG-IFN). 12 patients with inactive CHB were followed with blood sample and abdomen ultrasonography every six months.
Results:
The virological response in the monotherapy group was 17.9%. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss was observed in 1 patient (2.5%); 56 patients (88%) showed at the time of diagnosis of CHB another infectious diseases that required specific treatment before PEG-IFN; this treatment was also affected by an higher incidence of side-effects (>50%). All patients with high viremia showed a primary non-response to PEG-IFN.
Conclusions:
The HBV E genotype evidences the worse response to PEG-IFN and maybe requires novel treatment options.
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