title: Clinical significance of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay in chronic HBV carriers.
abstract: PCR was evaluated as a clinical tool for use in accurate identification of the specific etiologic agent in chronic HBV carriers. The method was found to be valuable in diagnosis and for monitoring therapy, as well as for elucidation of genotypic variants of HBV in chronic HBV cases. By this means an HBV defective variant with alterations in the preS1/preS2 sequence was detected and is consequently described here.
authors.affiliation: I. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerken
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paterlini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kremsdorf
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manns
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Meyer zum Büschenfelde
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brechot
mesh_terms: D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000208:ethnology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology; D002353:Carrier State; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D003673:Defective Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C050806:presurface protein 1, hepatitis B surface antigen; C050807:presurface protein 2, hepatitis B surface antigen