title: Hepatitis B virus DNA in the hepatocyte. A series of 160 biopsies.
abstract: DNA-DNA hybridisation was used to examine 160 liver biopsies for the presence of the hepatitis B virus genome. HBeAg-positive HBsAg carriers were found to have replicating viral DNA in the hepatocytes and, very occasionally, HBV DNA was also integrated into the chromosomes. A high proportion of the anti-HBe-positive HBsAg carriers also have replicating HBV DNA and in the remainder integrated sequences are often, but not always, seen. No evidence was found, however, to implicate HBV in HBsAg-negative patients with alcoholic liver disease, nor in patients with a variety of other liver diseases including non-A, non-B hepatitis.
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001706:Biopsy; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens