Objective: To investigate the distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in patients with chronic HBV infection among 11 cities of China.
Methods: A total of 1214 serum samples from patients with chronic HBV infection were collected in 11 cities of China, including Beijing, Qingyuan, Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, Hanchuan, Nanjing, Changchun, Liaocheng, Jinan, Ningbo and Wenzhou. Genotypes of the 1214 HBV strains were identified by PCR method with type specific primers. Parts of the results were confirmed by direct sequencing analysis of PCR products.
Results: Among the 1214 patients with chronic HBV infection, 0.7% (9/1214)were genotype A, 28.4% (345/1214)genotype B, 58.4% (709/1214) genotype C, and 12.4% (151/1214) genotype B and genotype C mixed infection. No other genotypes were found. Genotype C was predominant in the northern part of China, such as Changchun, Beijing, Shijiazhuang,while genotype B was more commonly seen in south of China. 71.4% (20/28) for patients from Qingyuan and 63.6% (70/110) from Shenzhen were infected with genotype B.
Conclusion: HBV genotypes had distinct geographic distribution. Genotype B and C the predominant strains in patients with chronic HBV infection in China. Genotype C was predominantly identified in the northern part of China versus genotype B the south.