Organ Transplantation Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Organ Transplantation, including details on risks, prognosis, procedure, surgery.

Hepatitis B and C virus variants in long-term immunosuppressed renal transplant patients in Latvia.

Sominskaya I, Mihailova M, Jansons J, Emelyanova V, Folkmane I, Smagris E, Dumpis U, Rozentals R, Pumpens P

Biomedical Research and Study Centre, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia. irina@biomed.lu.lv

The incidence of genome variants of hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses among 38 long-term (2-15 years) immunosuppressed patients after renal transplantation and 10 patients undergoing dialysis was investigated. Twelve patients had only HBV infection, 9 had only HCV infection and 14 were co-infected. Regions corresponding to the HBV X/EnII/BCP, preC/C, preS/S and to the HCV core were sequenced for molecular characterization of the HBV and HCV genomes. Fifty-seven percent of HBV DNA isolates belonged to genotype D and 42% to genotype A, whereas 77% of HCV RNA isolates belonged to genotype 1b and only 17% to genotype 3a. One sample (6%) was of genotype 2c. Detailed analysis of the above-mentioned HBV genome regions revealed the presence of nucleotide point mutations, which, in some cases, resulted in amino acid substitutions. The clinical significance of such mutations is discussed.

Published 6 April 2005 in Intervirology, 48(2): 192-200.
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