1996 Volume 180 Issue 3 Pages 233-247
We compared amino acid sequences of hepatitis B virus (HBV) S protein deduced from analyzed DNA sequence in 46 children who received immunoprophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HBV. They were classified into 6 groups by their clinical features. The antibody escape mutants were found in 8 cases among 46 cases. We studied the difference in clinical features in these cases and speculated that 126 Ser or 140 Ser-strain may have a different behavior in relation to antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen from 126 Asn or 145 Arg-strain.