title: Serum hepatitis B virus DNA in hepatitis B virus seropositive and seronegative patients with normal liver function.
abstract: The presence of hepatitis type B virus (HBV) DNA in serum specimens from 926 apparently healthy people with normal liver functions was determined by polymerase chain reaction; 41.2% of people with positive results for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) (94 of 228) and 95.2% of people with positive results for HBV e antigen (HBeAg) (60 of 63) were found to have positive results for serum HBV DNA. On the other hand, serum HBV DNA was found in 11.0% (77 of 698) of HBsAg-negative people and in 13% (69 of 530) of those who had positive results for serum antibodies directed against HBsAg. The results seem to suggest that HBV DNA can be found in a significant portion of apparently healthy people with normal liver function who are either seronegative for HBsAg or seropositive for antibodies directed against HBsAg.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Chang Gung Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Pao
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liaw
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; 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* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes