Morphometric and structural dynamic parameters of hepatitis viruses: implications for therapeutic and vaccine failure

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has defied cure and is responsible for hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis. In view of this, literatures were searched for structures of hepatitis viruses, their family, genotype, shape, genome size, weight, diameter, radius, area, volume, and infectivity with intent to assessing their morphometric, metabolic and structural parameters for determination of pathogenicity, infectivity, mutability for therapeutic, immunogenic and psychogenic consequences. HBV could undergo rotation, reflection, and translation for evasion of therapy and vaccination. Findings have shown that icosahedral shape of HBV with angles (54), triangles (18), faces (20), edges (30) and vertices (12) could pose challenges of antigenic shift and drift. Meanwhile large genome size of HAV (7.5 kb), HCV (9.6 kb), HEV (7.2 kb) and HGV (9.4 kb) and low metabolism constant could limit their pathogenicity. However, HBV may be very active with reduced number of viruses in the host cells and may defy treatment and immunization. Combination of two or more anti-HBV drugs when the viral load has declined can eliminate the virus. HAV, HBV, and HCV can cause psychiatric illness alone or with HIV. All the hepatitis viruses and their seroconversions portend high or higher risk of pathogenicity and virulence because of their antigenic shift and drift, which may be morphometric and structure-dependent. Therefore, tremendous variations in the morphometry and structure of the viruses should be expected in near or far future, if holistic therapeutic and vaccination measures are not emphasized.