title: Demonstration of hepatitis B virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction in the serum and the liver after spontaneous or therapeutically induced HBeAg to anti-HBe or HBsAg to anti-HBs seroconversion in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: The objective was to determine the proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis B in whom hepatitis B virus DNA is demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction after HBeAg to anti-HBe or HBsAg to anti-HBs spontaneous or therapeutically induced seroconversion. Polymerase chain reaction was performed on serum 6 and 12 mo after HBeAg to anti-HBe seroconversion in 12 patients and 2, 6 and 12 mo after HBsAg to anti-HBs seroconversion in 13 patients. Polymerase chain reaction was performed on liver tissue after HBeAg to anti-HBe seroconversion in five patients and after HBsAg to anti-HBs seroconversion in one patient. Serum HBV DNA was demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction in 83% of patients 6 or 12 mo after HBeAg to anti-HBe seroconversion and in 58%, 31% and 15% of patients at 2, 6 and 12 mo, respectively, after HBsAg to anti-HBs seroconversion. Liver HBV DNA was demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction in all patients tested. Our results show that (a) a reduced level of hepatitis B virus replication persists in most of the patients after HBeAg to anti-HBe seroconversion and might be predictive of reactivation, and (b) in contrast, hepatitis B virus replication progressively disappears in most of the patients after HBsAg to anti-HBs seroconversion.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Hépatologie Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy, France.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Loriot
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marcellin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bismuth
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinot-Peignoux
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Degott
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erlinger
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Benhamou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens