Identification of a Hepatitis B Virus Core Promoter Mutant by PCR- RFLP in Patients Suffering from Chronic Liver Disease, Uttar Pradesh, India

Objective: The present study was designed to identify a core promotor mutation in the HBV genome inpatients suffering from HBV related chronic liver disease. Materials and
Methods: 154 chronic liver diseasepatients were selected for study of DNA extracted using a pure viral DNA extraction kit. The core promotermutation was detected by the polymerase chain reaction- based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRRFLP)method, using the Sau 3AI restriction enzyme to see if cleavage would occur at this specific site.
Results:Among the total of 154, 78 patients were found positive for HBsAg and 71 samples were found to be positive forHBV DNA by first round PCR. The over all prevalence of core mutant was 51(71%) in the 71 patients. 11(68.75%) of 16 patients, excluding 1 patients with mixed type mutation was detected in inactive HBsAg carriers,39 (81.25%), excluding 2 patients with mixed type was detected in chronic hepatitis B, and 4/7 (57%) in patientswith liver cirrhosis were found.
Conclusion: Our study concluded that the prevalence of the core promotermutation in the BCP region was higher in the patients with chronic hepatitis B than in liver cirrhosis and HBsAgcarriers. The Sau3AI assay, which is much more convenient than sequencing, was shown to be useful for thedetection of the core promoter mutant in an extensive number of clinical samples. Monitoring and detection ofHBV variants by PCR-RFLP in chronic infection may improve the management of these patients