— Christine M. Kukka, Project Manager, HBV Advocate
Chinese researchers followed 1,424 hepatitis B
patients who had different stages of infection—ranging from
asymptomatic/inactive carriers to those with cirrhosis and liver
cancer—to see what role viral mutations played.
HBV have a weak genetic blueprint that allows the
virus to mutate easily. Among the more common mutations, not related
to any antiviral treatment, is the YMDD mutation, which can lead to
more severe liver damage and liver cancer.
The researchers looked for YMDD mutations in the
varying stages of liver disease among the 1,424 patients who had both
genotypes B and C, and they found a higher YMDD mutation rate among
genotype C patients.
"The difference in spontaneous YMDD mutation
rates in patients with liver diseases infected with genotype C strains
at different stages was statistically significant," they noted in the
February issue of the Journal of Medical Virology, which made genotype C patients at higher risk of liver cancer.
Source: HBV Journal Review, April 2014Labels: Genotype C, Liver cancer HCC, YMDD mutations
