Genetic Diversity of HBV Genotypes/ Subgenotypes and Their Correlation with Disease Progression

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global health problem and a public health threat in the present era. It is estimated that 2 billion people are infected with HBV and 350 million people suffer from chronic HBV infection in the world. India is a prosperous country in Asia and has peculiar geographical presence which is responsible for evasion of this land by traders and invaders in past and resulted in gene influx due to invasion and/or anthropological migrations in the past. Moreover, recent increase in trade, trafficking and use of illicit drugs has also considerably influenced the epidemiology of HBV in different parts of India. However, data on the genotypes/subgenotypes diversity of HBV in India is scanty. In this manuscript, the information available on the genetic diversity of HBV genotypes and subgenotypes in India and in world and their relationship with the disease progression has been reviewed. ABSTRACT