RECENT ADVANCES IN THE MOLECULAR-BIOLOGY OF HEPATITIS-B VIRUS

Recent advances in the molecular biology of hepatitis B virus. Recent advances in molecular biology had led to a better understanding of the pathology of hepatitis B virus. The polymerase chain reaction techniq ue has shown that the genome of hepatitis B virus is highly variable. Mutations in the pre-core region are associated with HBe Ag negative c hronic hepatitis and fulminant hepatitis B moreover, HBV vaccine induc e mutations within the S gene and escape mutant of hepatitis B virus i n immunized patients. The aim of this paper is to assess the clinical, serological and therapeutic features of hepatitis B variants.