title: Hepatitis B virus DNA in serum and liver is commonly found in Chinese patients with chronic liver disease despite the presence of antibodies to HBsAg.
abstract: Sera from 410 patients from the Wuhan area in the central part of China with the diagnosis of chronic liver disease were analyzed for markers of hepatitis B, C and D virus infections. All sera, plus liver biopsy specimens from 188 of the patients, were also tested for hepatitis B virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction. Sixty-eight percent were HBsAg positive in serum, whereas 29% showed markers of past hepatitis B virus infection. Hepatitis B virus DNA was detected in all HBeAg-positive sera but also in 58% of patients with HBe antibody. In the liver specimens of the corresponding patient groups, 97% and 78%, respectively, were hepatitis B virus DNA positive. However, more noteworthy was that of the HBsAg-negative/HBs-antibody positive patients 30% had detectable hepatitis B virus DNA in serum and 32% had hepatitis B virus DNA in liver tissue, whereas in a control group of healthy blood donors, of which 90% had HBs antibody, none was hepatitis B virus DNA positive. Our results demonstrate that among patients with chronic liver disease, infections with hepatitis B virus or hepatitis B virus-related virus(es) may frequently occur without being revealed by conventional serological methods. Hepatitis C and D viruses seem to be of only minor importance in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease in this part of China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lund, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Widell
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nordenfelt
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D001782:Blood Donors; D002681:China; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral