ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate clinical applicability of a novel technique that can quantify the lamivudine-resistant mutants of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the serum of patients utilizing gene microarray technology.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The oligonucleotide microarray was designed to detect 3 important mutational positions. Fifty-one patients who were receiving lamivudine therapy were selected as subjects. The oligonucleotide microarray and traditional sequencing were applied to detect the lamivudine resistant mutation, the monitoring lasted for 24 months. Then the clinical result was analyzed and the obtained data were compared between the two methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Lamivudine resistant mutation was detected in 39 percent of the patients during the 2 years period. The results of the oligonucleotide microarray technique was consistent to the results of traditional sequencing in accuracy and the miroarray was more sensitive in detection of the mixed infection.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Application of the oligonucleotide microarray for quantitative detection of lamivudine-resistant mutation of HBV is feasible.</p>