West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 54, Legon- Accra, Ghana.
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University for Development studies, P. O. Box TL 1883, Tamale, Ghana.
Virol J. 2023 Jul 13;20(1):149. doi: 10.1186/s12985-023-02110-2.
Identification and monitoring of HBV genotype variations is important, since that can help forecast the likelihood of developing serious liver disease and how well patients respond to antiviral medication. Given that HBV genotyping tests are not widely available in our healthcare system, this study characterized HBV genotypes in pregnant women seeking prenatal treatment in northern Ghana.
By a cross-sectional approach, 2071 pregnant women seeking antenatal care in health facilities in northern Ghana were screened for HBV infection using hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) rapid diagnostic test kit. The women were aged between 17 and 41 years, were of varying gravidae (primigravidae and multigravidae) and gestational age (first, second and third trimesters). A confirmatory PCR assay was used to detect HBsAg, and the distribution of HBV genotypes was determined using a nested PCR assay.
Three HBV genotypes (A, D and E) were detected among the pregnant women, of which 175 (91.6%) had genotype E, 9 (4.7%) had mixed genotypes A and E, 5 (2.6%) had mixed genotypes D and E, and 2 (1.1) had mixed genotypes A, D and E. The proportions of women with the different HBV genotypes were independent of age (p = 0.925), gravidity (p = 0.193, χ = 4.729) and gestational age (p = 0.227, χ = 8.152).
This study for the first-time characterized circulating HBV genotypes in pregnant women in northern Ghana, which reveals genotypes A and D are found in mixed infections with genotype E. The findings have clinical implications on the management of chronic HBV infection among pregnant women in northern Ghana.
鉴定和监测乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）基因型变异非常重要，因为这有助于预测发生严重肝病的可能性以及患者对抗病毒药物的反应。由于我们的医疗体系中尚未广泛开展 HBV 基因分型检测，因此本研究旨在对加纳北部寻求产前治疗的孕妇进行 HBV 基因型分析。
采用横断面研究方法，对加纳北部医疗机构中 2071 名寻求产前护理的孕妇进行 HBV 感染筛查，使用乙型肝炎表面抗原（HBsAg）快速诊断试剂盒。这些孕妇年龄在 17 至 41 岁之间，妊娠次数（初产妇和多产妇）和妊娠周期（第一、第二和第三孕期）各不相同。采用聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测 HBsAg，巢式 PCR 检测 HBV 基因型分布。
在这些孕妇中检测到三种 HBV 基因型（A、D 和 E），其中 175 例（91.6%）为基因型 E，9 例（4.7%）为基因型 A 和 E 混合感染，5 例（2.6%）为基因型 D 和 E 混合感染，2 例（1.1%）为基因型 A、D 和 E 混合感染。不同 HBV 基因型孕妇的比例与年龄（p=0.925）、妊娠次数（p=0.193，χ2=4.729）和妊娠周期（p=0.227，χ2=8.152）无关。
本研究首次对加纳北部孕妇循环 HBV 基因型进行了特征分析，结果显示基因型 A 和 D 与基因型 E 存在混合感染。这些发现对加纳北部孕妇慢性 HBV 感染的管理具有临床意义。
