Zhu, Lin. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-118). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Contents --- p.I / List of Abbreviations --- p.IV / List of Tables and Figures --- p.V / Chapter Chapter One: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Viral Hepatitis --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Global Epidemiology of HBV --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Modes of Transmission --- p.4 / Chapter 1.4 --- Diagnostic Tests --- p.5 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- HBeAg and Anti-HBe --- p.7 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Serum Enzymes --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- HBV DNA Assays --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4.3.1 --- HBV DNA Assays --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4.3.2 --- Clinical Applications of DNA Assays --- p.10 / Chapter 1.4.4 --- Histology --- p.13 / Chapter 1.5 --- Natural Course of Chronic Hepatitis infection --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Phases of chronic hepatitis B --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B --- p.21 / Chapter 1.6 --- Molecular biology of HBV --- p.23 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Overview --- p.23 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Genomic structure and organization --- p.24 / Chapter 1.6.2.1 --- Surface ORF --- p.24 / Chapter 1.6.2.2 --- Precore/Core ORF --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6.2.3 --- Polymerase ORF --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6.2.4 --- X ORF --- p.26 / Chapter 1.7 --- Genetic Variation of HBV --- p.31 / Chapter 1.7.1 --- HBV genotypes --- p.31 / Chapter 1.7.2 --- Predominant genotypes and their subgroups in Asia --- p.33 / Chapter 1.7.3 --- HBV mutations --- p.36 / Chapter 1.7.3.1 --- Precore mutations --- p.37 / Chapter 1.7.3.2 --- Core promoter mutations --- p.38 / Chapter 1.7.3.3 --- Other Mutations associated with clinical outcome --- p.40 / Chapter Chapter Two: --- Methodology --- p.44 / Chapter 2.1 --- Aims and Hypothesis --- p.45 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Aims --- p.46 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Hypothesis --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2 --- Patient Recruitment --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3 --- Laboratory Assays --- p.49 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Preparation of serum HBV DNA --- p.49 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Quantification of serum HBV DNA --- p.51 / Chapter 2.4 --- Full-genome Amplification of HBV DNA --- p.53 / Chapter 2.5 --- Full-genome Sequencing of HBV DNA --- p.55 / Chapter 2.6 --- Assembly of HBV Full-genome Sequence --- p.58 / Chapter 2.7 --- Phylogenetic Analysis --- p.59 / Chapter 2.7.1 --- Construction of phylogenetic tree --- p.59 / Chapter 2.7.2 --- Genotype and subgenotype determination --- p.60 / Chapter 2.8 --- HBV Mutations --- p.62 / Chapter 2.9 --- Info-gain program --- p.64 / Chapter 2.10 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.65 / Chapter Chapter Three: --- Results --- p.67 / Chapter 3.1 --- Patient Information --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2 --- Phylogenetic Analysis --- p.69 / Chapter 3.3 --- HBV genotypes/subgenotypes --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4 --- “Hot-spo´tح HBV Mutants --- p.79 / Chapter 3.5 --- HBV Mutation Associated with Liver Fibrosis --- p.82 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Mutant selection --- p.82 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Clinical significance of novel mutants --- p.84 / Chapter Chapter Four: --- Discussion --- p.88 / Chapter 4.1 --- Full-genome Sequencing Strategy --- p.89 / Chapter 4.2 --- HBV genotypes/subgenotypes Distribution and Disease Activity --- p.90 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- HBV genotypes/subgenotypes distribution --- p.90 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Clinical significance of genotypes/subgenotypes --- p.91 / Chapter 4.3 --- HBV Hotspot Mutants and Disease Activity --- p.93 / Chapter 4.4 --- HBV Novel Mutants --- p.96 / Chapter 4.5 --- Limitation of the Study and Future Work --- p.97 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Limitation --- p.97 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Future Direction --- p.98 / Chapter Chapter Five: --- Conclusions --- p.99 / References --- p.102