Evaluation of the pol/S Gene Overlapping Mutations in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients in Northern Cyprus


Arikan A., SAYAN M., Sanlidag T., Suer K., AKÇALI S., Guvenir M.

POLISH JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, vol.68, no.3, pp.317-322, 2019 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 68 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.33073/pjm-2019-034
  • Journal Name: POLISH JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.317-322
  • Kocaeli University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Mutations associated with the pol and the S gene can emerge as a consequence of the high replication capacity and proofreading deficiencies of hepatitis B virus during replication. The current study was constructed to evaluate primary, partial, compensatory and the escape mutations in chronic hepatitis B patients in Northern Cyprus. The samples of HBsAg positive treatment naive 100 patients were involved in this study. HBV pol gene region was sequenced, amplified and HBV pol/S gene mutations were determined. The samples of thirty-two patients were excluded because of their low viral load (HBV < 1000 lu/ml). Among the sequenced 68 samples, there was a partial mutation (1.5%) and 36.7% displayed a resistance profile to lamivudine, adevofir, and telbivudine. Immune response escape, vaccine escape, HBIg and diagnosis escape mutations were determined in 24%, 10%, 6%, and 4% samples of the patients, respectively. Additionally, there were six different combined mutations. These data underscored that there is no concern for primary mutations in Northern Cyprus, however, we have identified a compensatory mutation (rtV173M) that may have primary mutation characteristics by combining with other mutation patterns. Additionally, HBsAg escape mutants demonstrated that detection of the S gene together with the pol gene mutations might be beneficial and important to monitor the surveillance of S variants.