Detection of serum hepatitis B virus DNA in patients with chronic hepatitis using the polymerase chain reaction assay.
We compared the sensitivity of the polymerase chain-reaction (PCR) assay to that of slot-blot hybridization for detecting hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the serum of 31 patients with chronic hepatitis. Of 14 chronic hepatitis patients positive for both HBV surface and HBV e antigens, 9 were positive for HBV DNA by slot-blot hybridization and all 14 by PCR. Also, of 9 patients positive for HBV surface antigen and antibody against HBV e antigen, 2 were positive for HBV DNA by slot-blot analysis and 8 by PCR. Finally, in 8 patients positive for HBV DNA by slot-blot hybridization, but 4 were positive by PCR. We find that analysis by the PCR technique provides a greater than 10(4)-fold increase in sensitivity over the slot-blot hybridization assay. This result represents an important breakthrough in sensitivity because it is now possible to detect as few as three HBV DNA genomes per sample of serum.
Kaneko
S
S
Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Miller
R H
RH
Feinstone
S M
SM
Unoura
M
M
Kobayashi
K
K
Hattori
N
N
Purcell
R H
RH
D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000382:microbiology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / 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; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens