Comprehensive study of hepatitis B virus genotypes and mutations involved in the pathogenesis

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To investigate hepatitis B virus (HBV)genotypes and mutations that are involved in the pathogenesis, full-genome analysis of genotype B1/Bj HBV, which is known to occur fulminant hepatitis frequently, was performed. Interestingly, single nucleotide insertion/deletion that causes frameshift in the precore region was found frequently in fulminant hepatitis strains. Furthermore, amino acid 21 mutation in the core protein was also found frequently. In vitro studies clarified that HBV with these insertion/deletion/mutation showed high replication capacity. These findings might clarify a part of fulminant hepatitis pathogenesis.