Selection of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Vaccine Escape Mutants in HBV-Infected and HBV/HIV-Coinfected Patients Failing Antiretroviral Drugs With Anti-HBV Activity

Abstract

Circulation of HBV encoding envelope mutations with diminished HBs antigen-antibody binding as result of selection of drug-resistance mutations may occur, particularly in patients infected with HBV genotype A, the most prevalent genotype among HBV/HIV-coinfected patients. Such mutations might represent a public health concern because of the potential risk of transmission of HBV drug- and vaccine-resistant strains.