Prevalence of hepatitis B virus precore stop codon mutations in chronically infected children.

AIM

To find out whether there is a significant difference in the prevalence of the precore stop codon mutation between HBeAg positive and anti-HBe positive children.

METHODS

We investigated a large pediatric population of 155 European children (mean age 10.9 years) with chronic hepatitis B by PCR and direct sequencing. Ninety were HBeAg positive and 65 had seroconversion to anti-HBe. Additionally genotyping was performed.

RESULTS

Seventy-four (48%) of the sequenced HBV strains were attributed to genotype D and 81 (52%) to genotype A. In the group of 90 HBeAg positive patients, 2 (2.2%) 1896-G-to-A transitions leading to precore stop codon mutation were found, and in the group of 65 anti-HBe positive children, 5 (7.7%) were identified harbouring HBeAg-minus mutants. The difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.13).

CONCLUSIONS

HBeAg minus variants as predominant viral HB strains play a minor role in the course of chronic hepatitis B in European children.