Assessment of Hepatitis B Virus Intra-host Population and Host-specific Immune Marker Diversity

Assessment of Hepatitis B Virus Intra-host Population and Host-specific Immune Marker Diversity With Next-generation Sequencing: From Chronic Infection to End-stage Liver Disease and Liver Cancer

In this project proposal, the investigators will investigate the genetic alterations of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) strains circulating in Belgian patients who developed end stage liver disease. Additionally, the investigators will compare and link these data sets with three genetic factors involved in immune system response.

This project proposes to identify and characterize the genetic alterations associated with intra-host evolution of HBV from a chronically infection status to an end-stage liver disease status.

Inclusion Criteria:

Study group:

• Clinical diagnosis of advanced liver disease related to chronic Hepatitis B infection (cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma,..)
• Availability of serum samples

Control group:

• Clinical diagnosis of liver disease related to chronic Hepatitis B infection in a pre-advanced stage
• Matched demographic and geographic characteristics to study group
• Availability of serum samples

Exclusion Criteria:

• Liver disease caused by other hepato-tropic viruses
• Patients with auto-immune diseases