HEPATITIS-B DEFECTIVE VIRUS WITH REARRANGEMENTS IN THE PRES GENE DURING HBV CHRONIC INFECTION

We have found a defective form of hepatitis B in an anti-HBe positive chronic HBsAg carrier with liver cancer (HCC). Viral deletions were identified in the preS coding region using PCR and sequencing. The presence of deleted HBV forms was observed in serum, PBMC, and liver tissue. To conclude, rearrangements and deletions in the preS gene would potentially lead to an impairment in viral clearance without affecting viral penetration in liver cells, possibly accounting for chronic HBV infection.