Common Genetic Variants of Response to Hepatitis B Vaccines Correlate with Risks of Chronic Infection of Hepatitis B Virus: A Community-Based Case-Control Study

Hepatitis B (HB) vaccination effectively reduces the risks of chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is unknown whether there is a common genetic determinant for response to the HB vaccine and susceptibility to chronic HBV infection. This case-control study, which included 193 chronic HBV carriers and 495 non-carriers, aimed to explore the effects of the most significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in response to the HB vaccine on the risks of chronic HBV infection. Out of 13 tested SNPs, the genotype distributions of four SNPs at the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II region, including rs34039593, rs614348, rs7770370, and rs9277535, were significantly different between HBV carriers and non-carriers. The age-sex-adjusted odds ratios (OR) of chronic HBV infection for rs34039593 TG, rs614348 TC, rs7770370 AA, and rs9277535 AA genotypes were 0.51 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33–0.79; p = 0.0028), 0.49 (95% CI, 0.32–0.75; p = 6.5 × 10(−4)), 0.33 (95% CI, 0.18–0.63; p = 7.4 × 10(−4)), and 0.31 (95% CI, 0.14–0.70; p = 0.0043), respectively. Multivariable analyses showed that rs614348 TC and rs7770370 AA genotypes were significantly independent protectors against chronic HBV infection. The multivariable-adjusted ORs for subjects with none, either one, or both of the protective genotypes were 1.00 (referent), 0.47 (95% CI: 0.32–0.71; p = 3.0 × 10(−4)), and 0.16 (95% CI: 0.05–0.54; p = 0.0032), respectively. Among eight HBeAg-positive carriers, only one of them carried a protective genotype. This study shows that response to the HB vaccine and susceptibility to chronic HBV infection share common genetic determinants and indicates that HLA class II members are the main responsible host genetic factors.