ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the distribution of genotypes in chronic HBV infection (CHB) and acute HBV infection (AHB) patients in Shanghai. Methods Sixty-two patients with AHB and 73 patients with CHB admitted to ('hanghai Hospital of Shanghai between 2003 and 2007 were studied. Viral genotypes of all the patients were determined by direct gene sequencing.Meanwhile, epidemiological, clinical and biochemical parameters of all patients were collected. Mean values of different groups were compared by t test while frequency was compared by chi square test. Results The major prevalent genotypes in both AHB and CHB patients were genotype B and C (48.4% vs 51.6% in AHB patients and 26.0% vs 74.0% in CHB patients). The proportion of genotype B was higher in AHB patients compared to CHB patients (P= 0.02). Epidemiological factors and clinical outcomes were not statistically different among patients with different viral genotypes. The proportion of genotype C was much higher in CHB patients compared to AHB patients (P=0.006). The main transmission route of AHB was heterosexual interaction which was 18 out of 62 (29.0%), but in CHB patients, it was prenatal transmission which was 38 out of 73 (52.1%). Conclusions In shanghai, the main HBV genotypes in both AHB and CHB patients are genotype B and C. The proportion of genotype B is relatively high in AHB patients while proportion of genotype C is more common in CHB patients. There is no significant relationship between genotypes and the clinical outcomes of AI-IB patients.