Polymorphism of precore region of hepatitis B virus DNA among patients with chronic HBV infection in Turkey

The prevalence of mutations in the precore and core promoter regions of hep atitis B virus DNA and the association with the hepatitis B e antigen-negat ive phenotype vary in different geographical areas. It is rather high espec ially in the Far East and Mediterranean countries. The mutations occurring in the precore and the minimal essential region of the core promoter of HBV -DNA were analyzed in the sera of 81 patients (HBeAg-positive, 47 patients; HBeAg-negative, 34 patients) with chronic hepatitis B virus infection by d irect sequencing of amplified polymerase chain reaction products. All patients had thymine at nucleotide 1858, Seven of 47 HBeAg-positive pat ients (15%) and 29 of 34 HBeAg-negative patients (85%) had precore stop cod on mutations (G to A change at nucleotide 1896). No nucleotide change was f ound in the minimal essential region of HBV core promoter in any patient st udied. In conclusion, the hepatitis B e antigen-negative phenotype in Turki sh patients with chronic hepatitis B is associated with mutations in the pr ecore but not in the minimal essential region of the core promoter. These r esults representing a part of the eastern Mediterranean support the studies conducted for the other populations of the region.