Clinical Aspects of Hepatitis B Virus DNA Detection

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV-DNA) was determined in sera obtained from 388 patients with various serologic markers for HBV infection and in 80 HBV-negative controls. A strong correlation could be shown between the presence of HBV-DNA and HBeAg in serum, irrespective of histologic and/or clinical manifestations of liver disease. However, in 15% of anti-HBe-positive HBsAg carriers, viral DNA could still be detected in serum. In addition, HBV-DNA was present in one patient with anti-HBc as the sole serologic marker of infection. In patients with convalescent antibodies–both anti-HBc- and anti-HBs-positive–HBV-DNA was undetectable in serum. Detection of HBV-DNA can, therefore, be considered the most sensitive and specific method for determining infectivity of serum. Hepatitis B virus DNA may also be detectable in liver tissues. Viral DNA can be present in two distinct forms: as viral DNA sequences integrated into host genome or as free (episomal) HBV-DNA sequences. In this paper the results of detection in 69 liver biopsy specimens and analysis of the state of viral DNA in the liver are presented. Furthermore, the relationship of HBV-DNA in the liver to ‘conventional’ HBV serologic markers and histologic manifestations of HBV infection are discussed.

Key Words:

• DNA
• hepatitis B virus
• hepatocellular carcinoma