In-situ hybridisation with HBV-cDNA as a sensitive method for the diagnosis of hepatitis B infection in persistent acute hepatitis.
Liver biopsies of 97 patients with persistent acute hepatitis, a morphologically distinct form of hepatitis with only slightly elevated transaminase values, were screened immunohistochemically for HBs and HBc, and with in-situ hybridisation for HBV DNA. Besides the 37 in part inconstantly immunohistochemically-positive patients, 47 others showed exclusively cytoplasmatic HBV DNA, localizing at least the major part of the replication of viral DNA to the cytoplasm of liver cells. A diffuse distribution pattern of HBV DNA-positive liver cells was accompanied by stronger morphological changes than focally accentuated positivity. In HBc-positive cases, distribution of HBV DNA corresponded mainly to the cytoplasmic type of HBc.
Herrmann
G
G
Department of Pathology, University of Frankfurt, FRG.
Hübner
K
K
D000208:Acute Disease; D004247:DNA; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D004247:DNA