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Journal of Virology, September 1998, p. 7692-7696, Vol. 72, No. 9
0022-538X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Unusual Escape Variants of Hepatitis B Virus Isolated from a Hepatitis B Surface Antigen-Negative Subject

Stefanie Grethe,* Masyar Monazahian, Ingo Böhme, and Reiner Thomssen

Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Göttingen, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany

Received 31 December 1997/Accepted 26 May 1998

Hepatitis B virus DNA was extracted from serial serum samples of a hepatitis B surface antigen-negative patient with antibodies to the core protein as the only marker of an infection with hepatitis B virus. This patient showed no symptoms of hepatic injury. Sequencing of the amplified viral DNA demonstrated multiple amino acid changes clustering in surface-exposed regions of the surface protein. Synthesis and association of the middle (M) and small (S) surface proteins could be shown in vitro. The variant surface antigens were recognized neither by monoclonal antibodies to the surface antigen nor by the vaccinee's sera. Consequences for hepatitis B surface antigen testing and vaccine development are discussed.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 57, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany. Phone: 49 551 39 4471. Fax: 49 551 39 5860. E-mail: sgrethe{at}gwdg.de.

Journal of Virology, September 1998, p. 7692-7696, Vol. 72, No. 9
0022-538X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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