The preS2/S genes of hepatitis B virus isolated from 29 acutely or chronically infected individuals in the Gauteng province of South Africa were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences in comparison with global isolates from the GenBank database showed that 24 sequences clustered with genotypic group A, three with genotypic group D and one each with genotypic groups B and C. Group A isolates had greater identity with groups D (variation of 6n6 %) and E (6n8 %) than with the Eastern groups B (7n4 %) and C (8n1 %) and were most different from group F (11n0 %). Of the South