Hepatitis B Surface Gene Mutants and their Emerging Role in the Efficacy of HBV Vaccination Programs

Abstract

The advances in molecular biology techniques in the past decade have led to the clarification of hepatitis B viral DNA sequences. However, much remains to be established regarding the emerging hepatitis B mutants. Several putative forms of hepatitis B virus have been isolated, but their epidemiology, natural course of infection and clinical significance remain sketchy. Compounding these problems are factors created by human interventions, such as HBsAg mass immunization, chemotherapy of chronic HBV patients and HBIg prophylaxis of orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) patients, which tend to encourage new mutants to emerge.Despite the availability of HBsAg vaccines and the mass immunization schemes implemented in over 80 countries worldwide, HBV infection continues to be a major public health problem. There are over 350 million chronic carriers worldwide, out of which about 10% die of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Among Blood Donors in Eastern Saudi Arabia: Results From a Five-Year Retrospective Study of HBV Seromarkers

“…In Saudi Arabia, studies employing HBsAg tests for screening have found different prevalence rates of HBV infection among blood donors from various regions, including central, northwestern, and eastern provinces: 2.7–9.8% [7891011]. However, no study has examined the prevalence of HBV among blood donors in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia using NATs.…”