Prevalence of HBV infection among different HIV-risk groups in Hai Phong, Vietnam

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Hai Phong, northern Vietnam, was characterized by analyzing the prevalence and genotype distribution of HBV as well as co‐infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) among five different risk groups for HIV infection. Plasma samples were collected from intravenous drug users (n = 760, anti‐HIV‐1 antibody positive rate: 35.9%), female sex workers (FSWs; n = 91, 23.1%), seafarers (n = 94, 0%), pregnant women (n = 200, 0.5%), and blood donors (n = 210, 2.9%) in 2007 [Ishizaki et al. (2009): AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 25:175–182]. Samples were screened for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti‐HBs antibody and analyzed genetically. The cumulative HBV incidence rate (HBsAg + anti‐HBs) was 53.2% (10.7 + 42.5%) in intravenous drug users, 51.6% (11.0 + 40.6%) in FSWs, 54.3% (9.6 + 44.7%) in seafarers, 50.5% (12.5 + 38.0%) in pregnant women, and 51.0% (18.1 + 32.9%) in blood donors; there was no significant difference among these groups. Of 163 HBsAg‐positive samples, 113 could be analyzed genetically. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the preS1 region, revealed genotype B4 was most prevalent (90/113; 79.6%), followed by C1 (17.7%), I1 (1.8%), and B2 (0.9%). There was no significant difference in HBV genotype distribution among different HIV infection‐risk groups. The prevalence of HBsAg was 10.3% (31/301) in HIV‐1‐infected individuals and 12.5% (132/1,054) in non‐HIV‐1‐infected individuals, which was not significant. In addition, no significant difference in HBV genotype distribution was observed between HBV/HIV‐1 co‐infected and HBV mono‐infected groups. These results suggest that, although HBV and HIV‐1 share modes of transmission, major transmission routes of HBV have been different from those of HIV‐1 in Hai Phong, Vietnam. J. Med. Virol. 83:399–404, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.