Identification of HBV genotype and precore and
basal core promoter variants
Hepatitis B virus genotyping was initially determined
using line probe assay (INNO-LiPA HBV;
Innogenetics, Belgium). HBV genotype was confirmed
by sequence analysis of the HBV surface/polymerase
gene as previously described.18 Variants with substitutions
in the precore (PC) region and basal core promoter
(BCP) region were identified by sequencing
after PCR amplification, as described by Ayres
et al.18 The PC variant was defined by the presence of
the G1896A mutation and the BCP variant by the
A1762T/G1764A mutation.