Genomic and transcriptomic feature of HBV integration in treatment-naïve, HBeAg-positive children with chronic HBV infection

HBV integration represents one of the primary obstacles to achieving HBV cure, however, much remains unknown about HBV integration in children with chronic HBV infection (CHB).We performed probe-based capture strategy and spatial transcriptomic sequencing to analyze HBV integration at both genomic and transcriptomic levels. Our analysis has revealed that HBV integration occurs in CHB children at both genomic and transcriptomic levels, and exhibits patterns similar to CHB adults.Local immune responses to transcriptionally active viral integration were highly age-dependent.