Broad Range of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Patterns, Dual Circulation of Quasi-Subgenotype A3 and HBV/E and Heterogeneous HBV Mutations in HIV-Positive Patients in Gabon

PLoS One. 2016 Jan 14;11(1):e0143869. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143869. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Integrated data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) patterns, HBV genotypes and mutations are lacking in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) co-infected patients from Africa. This survey was conducted in 2010-2013 among 762 HIV-1-positive adults from Gabon who were predominantly treated with 3TC-based antiretroviral treatment. HBV patterns were identified using immunoassays detecting total antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAb), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), IgM HBcAb, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), antibody to HBsAg (HBsAb) and an in-house real-time PCR test for HBV DNA quantification. Occult hepatitis B (OBI) was defined by the presence of isolated anti-HBc with detectable serum HBV DNA. HBV genotypes and HBV mutations were analyzed by PCR-direct sequencing method. Seventy-one (9.3%) patients tested positive for HBsAg, including one with acute hepatitis B (0.1%; 95% CI, 0.0%-0.2%), nine with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (1.2%; 95% CI, 0.6%-2.2%), 16 with HBeAg-negative CHB (2.1%; 95% CI, 1.2%-3.3%) and 45 inactive HBV carriers (5.9%; 95% CI, 4.4%-7.8%). Sixty-one (8.0%; 95% CI, 6.2%-10.1%) patients showed OBI. Treated patients showed similar HBV DNA levels to those obtained in untreated patients, regardless of HBV patterns. Around 15.0% of OBI patients showed high (>1,000 UI/mL) viremia. The mutation M204V/I conferring resistance to 3TC was more common in HBV/A (47.4%) than in HBV/E isolates (0%) (P = .04). Our findings encouraged clinicians to promote HBV vaccination in patients with no exposure to HBV and to switch 3TC to universal TDF in those with CHB.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Coinfection*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Gabon / epidemiology
  • Genotype*
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV Seropositivity
  • HIV-1 / immunology
  • Hepatitis B / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis B / immunology
  • Hepatitis B / virology*
  • Hepatitis B Antibodies / immunology
  • Hepatitis B Antigens / genetics
  • Hepatitis B Antigens / immunology
  • Hepatitis B virus / genetics*
  • Hepatitis B virus / immunology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation*
  • Phylogeny
  • Prevalence
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Hepatitis B Antibodies
  • Hepatitis B Antigens

Grants and funding

The Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Gabon, is funded by the Gabonese Government, Total Gabon and the French Foreign Ministry. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.