Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Background: Hepatitis B Virus Infection is a common cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver disease mortality worldwide. About 10 HBV genotypes (A-J) have been identified and their roles in clinical outcomes of HBV infection have been emphasized. There is paucity of data in Nigeria on the possible role of HBV genotypes in the development of HCC. This study determined the association, if any, between HBV genotypes and the development of HCC in Nigerian patients

Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study of 60 patients with HBV associated HCC. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain relevant data. Subjects gave informed consent and ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee of the hospital. HBV genotypes analysis was carried out using the multiplex-nested Polymerase Chase Reaction method. Data obtained were entered into SPSS version 20 and analyzed using simple and inferential statistics.

Results: Total number of participants was sixty (60), majority were male 48(80%) and their mean age (SD) was 43.6 (11.53) years. The predominant age groups were 21-40 years, 21(35%) and 41-50, 21(35%), while those greater than 60 years accounted for the least, 4(6.7%). The commonest HBV genotype was E, 38(63.3%). A high proportion of patients with genotype E, 28(73.7%) were HBeAg negative and also had advanced HCC BCLC D, 30 (78.9%).

Conclusion: The commonest HBV genotype found in subjects with HCC in this study was E. Higher proportions of the subjects irrespective of their HBV genotypes presented in advanced disease of BCLC Class C and D.