RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between the gene mutations of mannose binding protein(MBP) and the progression of hepatitis B.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The MBP gene mutations in 52 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 62 patients with severe hepatitis B and 64 HBsAg-negative healthy controls were investigated. The mutations in MBP gene were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct DNA sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A mutation of MBP gene codon 54 was found. The mutation frequency in the group of severe hepatitis B (35.5%, 22/62) was higher than those in the chronic hepatitis B group (15.4%, 8/52) and the HBsAg-negative healthy controls(14.1%, 9/64), respectively, and their difference was significant (chi-square was 7.79, P< 0.01; chi-square was 5.89,lzP<0.05). The difference between the chronic hepatitis B group and the HBsAg-negative healthy control group was not significant (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is only mutation in codon 54 of the MBP gene in patients with hepatitis B infection in the area analyzed. Codon 54 mutation of MBP gene is not related to the persistence of hepatitis B, but it was associated with the progression of hepatitis B infection.</p>