title: [The demonstration of hepatitis B virus DNA with the polymerase chain reaction].
abstract: Results with the polymerase chain reaction and conventional DNA hybridizing technique (dot-blot) for the detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA were compared for 439 patients. In 261 patients who were positive for HBs antigen (Ag), HBV DNA was demonstrated with the polymerase reaction in all of the 69 HBe-Ag positive sera (dot-blot 56%), as well as in 81 (62%) of 131 anti-HBe positive sera (dot-blot 5%), in 29 (48%) of 61 HBe marker negatives (dot-blot 3%) and in six (29%) of 21 delta positive sera. Among HBs-Ag negative patients, HBV DNA was detected in six (22%) of 27 anti-HBc positive sera, but not in sera (n = 50) which were both anti-HBc and anti-HBs positive, as well as in HBV marker negative patients with liver disease (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 50). If infectiousness is to be checked or in case of double infection, the more sensitive polymerase chain reaction is to be recommended for the detection of HBV DNA. HBe-Ag positive patients must be considered as infectious: tests for HBV DNA can in general be omitted.
authors.affiliation: Privates Institut für Immunologie und Molekulargenetik GmbH, Karlsruhe.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seelig
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ehrfeld
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bottner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Renz
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Seelig
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D003698:Hepatitis Delta Virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens
vernacular_title: Nachweis von Hepatitis-B-Virus-DNA mit der Polymerase-Kettenreaktion.