Serum HBV DNA and intrahepatic hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) in chronic hepatitis B virus infection: correlation with infectivity and liver histology.
In this study we investigated the HBeAg/anti HBeAg status, the liver histological features, the intrahepatic localization of HBcAg, and the presence of serum HBV DNA in a group of 79 HBsAg-positive patients. We found a close relationship between the presence of HBV DNA and intrahepatic HBcAg in HBeAg-positive patients. Among the 56 anti-HBeAg-positive patients considered, 13 (23.2%) showed the presence of intrahepatic HBcAg and serum HBV DNA. In this group of patients, active viral replication was associated with a chronic inflammatory liver disease and particularly with CAH. Furthermore, a prevalent cytoplasmic localization of HBcAg was found in 66.6% of patients affected by CAH, showing that this peculiar distribution of HBcAg seems to be associated with a poor prognosis.
Milani
S
S
Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, University of Florence, Italy.
Ambu
S
S
Patussi
V
V
D'Agata
A
A
Labardi
M
M
Salvadori
G
G
Surrenti
C
C
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens