title: [Clinical importance of hepatitis B virus DNA detection in serum of children with chronic hepatitis B].
abstract: 206 sera from 172 children with chronic hepatitis B infection were tested for HBV DNA by dot blot hybridization. 111 were positive and 95 negative for HBV DNA. 103 (78.6%) of the positive patients had HBeAg and 5 (7.7%) anti-HBe. In 60 (92.3%) of the anti-HBe positive sera no HBV DNA could be detected. Children with elevated liver enzymes had HBV DNA in 80.1%, whereas in 71.6% of the chronic HBsAg carriers with normal liver enzymes no HBV DNA was found. In 87 of the 95 dot blot negative patients polymerase chain reaction was performed. 73 (83.9%) children of this group were HBV DNA positive. All HBeAg positive patients and those with elevated aminotransferases had HBV DNA in their serum. 56 anti-HBe-positive HBsAg carriers were also positive; 14 were negative for HBV DNA. Our results demonstrate that viral sequences can be found in all HBeAg positive and in most of the anti-HBe positive children. Patients with ongoing virus replication have to be considered infectious and recommendation for vaccination of close relatives of these patients must be stressed.
authors.affiliation: Kinderklinik, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wirth
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Möllers
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwarze
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zabel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens
vernacular_title: Klinische Bedeutung des Hepatitis-B-Virus-DNS-Nachweises im Serum von Kindern mit chronischer Hepatitis B.