Prevalence of Hepatitis B virus Genotypes and their Correlation with Serological Markers among Chronic Infected...

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) represents a significant global health issue, associated with elevated morbidity and mortality rates, particularly in African regions like Sudan, necessitating data on the prevalence of HBV genotypes and related biomarkers to enhance local and national prevention and control measures. This research aimed to clarify the frequency of HBV genotypes in chronic patients and their association with serological markers in four states of Sudan. A cross-sectional study was performed from December 2020 to February 2022 in Sudan. Among 385 patients positive for HBV, 200 were identified as chronic cases. Genotyping and viral load assessments via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and the INNO-LiPA techniques. Virological markers were evaluated using a standardized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Of the 385 patients with HBV in this study, 84.2% were male and 15.8% female, with 2.9% co-infected with HIV. A cohort of 200 individuals diagnosed with chronic HBV infection met the eligibility criteria. The prevalence of HBV genotype D was recorded at 92.5%, followed by the mixed genotype A/D at 4.5% and genotype A at 3.0%. Chronic HBV patients with D genotype exhibited normal liver enzyme levels, indicating a significant correlation with liver enzymes. Most negative hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg) and positive HIV co-infection patients exhibited chronic HBV of the D genotype. The dominant genotype identified among patients with chronic HBV was genotype D, associated with higher HBeAg negativity, viral DNA loads of ≥ 10^3 copies/ml, normal liver enzyme activity, and concurrent HIV infection.