Journal article
Epidemiological and virological characteristics of 2 subgroups of hepatitis B virus genotype C.
Henry LY Chan, Stephen KW Tsui, Chi-Hang Tse, Eddie YT Ng, Thomas CC Au, Lilly Yuen, Angeline Bartholomeusz, Kwong-Sak Leung, Kin-Hong Lee, Stephen Locarnini, Joseph JY Sung
J Infect Dis | Published : 2005
DOI: 10.1086/430324
Abstract
BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C subgroups in Hong Kong and their relationship with HBV genotype C in other parts of Asia. METHODS: Full-genome nucleotide sequences of 49 HBV genotype C isolates from Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B were compared with the sequences of 69 HBV genotype C isolates and 12 non-genotype C isolates in the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to define the subgroups of HBV genotype C on the basis of >4% heterogeneity of the entire HBV genome. RESULTS: HBV in 80% of patients in Hong Kong belonged to a subgroup predominantly found in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and s..
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