Relationship between the genotypes of hepatitis B virus and the expression of HBeAg and its clinical significance

Objective To investigate the relationship between different genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the expression of HBeAg and the severity of liver diseases.Methods The HBV genotypes were determined by multiple-primer PCR amplification and the HBV DNA levels were detected by fluorescent quantitative PCR assay.Results In 120 HBV infected cases, 84 cases (70%) were genotype C, 31 cases (25.8%) were genotype B and 5 cases (4.2%) were mixed genotype BC;genotypes A, D, E, F were not detected.More patients were HBeAg-positive than were HBeAg-negative in Genotype C (P<0.05) .There was no significant difference between the HBeAg negative and HBeAg positive in genotyoe B.Conclusion This study suggests that genotype B and C are predominant genotype in Xuzhou area.The HBeAg positive expression is predominant in genotype C.Compare to the patients with genotype B, more severe inflammation was observed in patients with genotype C.