Chronic Hepatitis B Infection with Low Level Viremia Correlates with the Progression of the Liver Disease

Background and Aims:Currently,insufficient clinical data are available to address whether low-level viremia(LLV)observed during antiviral treatment will adversely affect the clinical outcome or whether treatment strategies should be altered if LLV occurs.This study compared the clinical out-comes of patients with a maintained virological response(MVR)and patients who experienced LLV and their treatment strategies.Methods:A retrospective cohort of 674 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection who received antiviral treatment for more than 12 months was analyzed for the development of end-stage liver disease and treatment strategies during the follow-up period.End-stage liver disease included decompensated liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Results:During a median 42-month follow-up,end-stage liver disease developed more frequently in patients who experienced LLV than in those who experienced MVR(7.73%and 15.85%vs.0.77%and 5.52%at 5 and 10 years,respectively;p=0.000).The trend was consistent after propensity score matching.In the high-risk group of four HCC risk models,LLV patients had a higher risk of HCC development(p<0.05).By Cox proportional hazard model analysis,LLV was an independent risk factor for end-stage liver disease and HCC(hazard ratio[HR]=6.280,confidence interval[CI]=2.081-18.951,p=0.001;HR=5.108,CI=1.392-18.737,respectively;p=0.014).Patients achieved a lower rate of end-stage liver disease by adjusting treatment compared to continuing the original treatment once LLV occurred(p<0.05).Conclusions:LLV is an independent risk factor for end-stage liver disease and HCC,and treatment adjustments can be considered.

Baseline Characteristics and Treatment Patterns of the Patients Recruited to the China Registry of Hepatitis B

Background and Aims: Chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)in-fection remains a major public health problem globally.Here,we describe the baseline characteristics and treatment pro-files of HBV-infected patients recruited to the China Registry of Hepatitis B.Methods: Inclusion criteria were patients with different stages of chronic HBV infection and complete key data.Exclusion criteria were patients with hepatocellular car-cinoma.The baseline clinical,laboratory and treatment pro-files were analyzed.Results: Finally,40,431 patients were included.The median age was 43 years,with 65.2%being men and 51.3%being positive for hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg).The most common initial diagnosis was chronic hep-atitis B(81.0%),followed by cirrhosis(9.3%),inactive carrier of hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg)(6.7%),and immune tolerant phase of hepatitis B infection(3.0%).Among the 21,228 patients who were on treatment,88.0%,10.0%and 2.0%received nucleos(t)ide analogues(NAs),interferon or combination of NAs and interferon,respectively.The propor-tion of patients who received preferred NAs(entecavir or te-nofovir disoproxil fumarate)had increased from 13.5%in 2003 to 79.7%in 2016.Conclusions: We concluded that middle-aged men accounted for most of the patients with chronic hepatitis B in this cross-sectional study.About half of the patients were HBeAg-positive.NAs were the most com-monly used therapy,and use of the preferred NAs had steadily increased in the past decade.

Genomic Epidemiology of Carbapenemaseproducing Klebsiella pneumoniae in China

The rapid spread of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae(cpKP)poses serious threats to public health;however,the underlying genetic basis for its dissemination is still unknown.We conducted a comprehensive genomic epidemiology analysis on 420 cpKP isolates collected from 70 hospitals in 24 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities of China during 2009–2017 by short-/long-read sequencing.The results showed that most cpKP isolates were categorized into clonal group 258(CG258),in which ST11 was the dominant clone.Phylogenetic analysis revealed three major clades including the top one of Clade 3 for CG258 cpKP isolates.Additionally,carbapenemase gene analysis indicated that blaKPC was dominant in the cpKP isolates,and most blaKPC genes were located in five major incompatibility(Inc)groups of blaKPC-harboring plasmids.Importantly,three advantageous combinations of host–blaKPC-carrying plasmid(Clade 3.1+3.2–IncFIIpHN7A8,Clade 3.1+3.2–IncFIIpHN7A8:IncR,and Clade 3.3–IncFIIpHN7A8:IncpA1763-KPC)were identified to confer cpKP isolates the advantages in both genotypes(strong correlation/coevolution)and phenotypes(resistance/growth/competition)to facilitate the nationwide spread of ST11/CG258 cpKP.Intriguingly,Bayesian skyline analysis illustrated that the three advantageous combinations might be directly associated with the strong population expansion during 2007–2008 and subsequent maintenance of the population of ST11/CG258 cpKP after 2008.We then examined drug resistance profiles of these cpKP isolates and proposed combination treatment regimens for CG258/non-CG258 cpKP infections.Thus,the findings of our systematical analysis shed light on the molecular epidemiology and genetic basis for the dissemination of ST11/CG258 cpKP in China,and much emphasis should be given to the close monitoring of advantageous cpKP–plasmid combinations.

DANMEL:A manually curated reference database for analyzing mobile genetic elements associated with bacterial drug resistance

Impact statement We have developed a manually curated online reference database,DANMEL(http://124.239.252.254/danmel/),that addresses the lack of accurate dissection and annotation of the genetic structures of mobile genetic elements(MGEs)with genes for drug resistance.DANMEL contains accurately annotated and genetically dissected reference MGEs covering 5 categories and 135 subcategories/subfamilies of MGEs.Further,DANMEL provides a detailed guide on how to precisely annotate MGEs.DANMEL also provides SEARCH/BLAST functions to facilitate finding reference MGEs.Overall,DANMEL will aid researchers to conduct in-depth genetic analysis of sequenced bacterial MGEs with drug-resistance genes and further facilitate a better understanding of bacterial MGEs associated with drug resistance at a genomic level.