title: Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen in southwestern Greece.
abstract: The presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in sera of 56 chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was determined by three methods: the Abbott hybridization assay, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by gel electrophoresis and UV visualization (PCR-GE), and PCR followed by DNA enzyme immunoassay (PCR-DEIA). HBV DNA was detected in four samples positive for hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) by all methods used. Both PCR-GE and PCR-DEIA detected viraemia in two anti-HBe, anti-HBc IgM positive samples. In the group of 50 anti-HBe positive samples the sensitivity of the three methods was 10%, 24% and 32%, respectively. PCR-GE and PCR-DEIA results correlated well with the patients' clinical status; of 20 patients with elevated ALT levels, 12 (60%) were found to be positive in the PCR-GE and another 2 were found to be positive in the PCR-DEIA (70%). These data indicate that PCR-DEIA is the most sensitive method for detection of HBV DNA. This method can be relatively easily applied in the clinical laboratory for monitoring the progression of disease and/or interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christofidou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Athanassiadou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skoutelis
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Anastassiou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens