Characteristics of US-Born Versus Foreign-Born Americans of African Descent with Chronic Hepatitis B

Mohamed A. Hassan, W. Ray Kim, Ruosha Li, Coleman I. Smith, Michael W. Fried, Richard K. Sterling, Marc G. Ghany, Abdus S. Wahed, Lilia M. Ganova-Raeva, Lewis R. Roberts, Anna S.F. Lok

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is more common in African Americans than in white Americans. We compared the epidemiologic, clinical, and virological characteristics of US-born African Americans (USAAs) to those of foreign-born African Americans (FBAAs) with chronic hepatitis B. The adult cohort study of the Hepatitis B Research Network enrolls patients with HBV infection from 21 clinical sites in the United States and Canada. A total of 237 (15%) of the adult participants with chronic HBV infection that were enrolled from January 20, 2011, to October 2, 2013, were of African descent, including 57 USAAs and 180 FBAAs (76%). Compared with FBAAs, USAAs were older and more likely to have acquired HBV through sexual exposure, to be HBeAg-positive, to have higher HBV DNA levels, and to be infected with HBV genotype A2. FBAAs from West Africa were more likely to have elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (72% vs. 50%; P < 0.01) and higher HBV DNA levels (median, 3.2 log 10 IU/mL vs. 2.8 log 10 IU/mL; P = 0.03) compared with East African FBAAs. The predominant HBV genotype among West African FBAAs was E (67%), whereas genotypes A (78%) and D (16%) were common in East African FBAAs. Significant differences were found between USAAs and FBAAs, highlighting the need for tailored strategies for prevention and management of chronic HBV infection for African Americans.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)356-366
Number of pages11
JournalAmerican journal of epidemiology
Volume186
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2017

Keywords

  • African American
  • genotype
  • hepatitis B e antigen
  • hepatitis B virus
  • mode of transmission

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology

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