HBV genotype distribution in blood donors in all prefectures of Japan

Abstract

HBs-antigen positive Japanese blood donors from October 2006 to September 2007 (n = 2001) were examined for HBV genotype. Of 1887 blood donors whose HBV was successfully genotyped, the rate of HBV genotype was A (5.6%), B (30.8%), C (62.6%) and others (1.0%). The prefectures with an over-60% predominance of HBV genotype B were Akita, Yamagata, Niigata, and Okinawa. Although most prefectures showed 60% or greater rate of genotype C, Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo and Kanagawa showed almost same rate of genotype B and C. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing HBV genotype distribution in every prefecture of Japan. © 2009 The Japan Society of Hepatology.