title: Detection of transcriptionally active hepatitis B virus DNA in peripheral mononuclear blood cells after infection during immunosuppressive chemotherapy using the polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: Using PCR we have studied mononuclear peripheral blood leucocytes (PMBLs) from HBV-infected immunosuppressed patients in order to detect the presence of HBV genomes. Our results indicate that non-transient PMBL infection is common in immunotolerant carriers. In addition, the presence of pregenomic mRNA sequences suggests that virus replication may take place in PMBLs, possibly implicating the latter as a source of virus after replication has ceased in the liver.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, University of Giessen, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Repp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mance
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rhiel
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Gerlich
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lampert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000382:microbiology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral