title: Comparison of three different hybridization assays in the quantitative measurement of serum hepatitis B virus DNA.
abstract: The measurement of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, is important for monitoring and evaluating the efficacy of anti-viral agents in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B. Three different hybridization assays for quantitative measurement of HBV DNA: direct membrane (dot-blot) hybridization, liquid hybridization (Abbott HBV DNA assay) and branched DNA signal amplification assay (Quantiplex, Chiron), were applied to 114 serial serum samples obtained from 13 patients with chronic active hepatitis B who had received ribavirin 600 mg daily for four weeks. Among the three assays, the correlation was found to be highest between Quantiplex and Abbott HBV DNA assay (r = 0.71, p < 0.01), moderate between Quantiplex and dot-blot hybridization (r = 0.58, p < 0.01) and lowest between dot-blot hybridization and Abbott HBV DNA assay (r = 0.27, p < 0.01). Quantiplex detected 107 (94%) of 114 specimens and was the most sensitive assay. All specimens positive by dot-blot hybridization and Abbott HBV DNA assays were detected positive by Quantiplex. The Dot-blot hybridization assay detected all 89 (100%) specimens with a high HBV DNA level (> or = 10 million genome equivalent (Meq)/ml by Quantiplex), but detected only 7 (50%) of 14 specimens with a low HBV DNA level (< 10 Meq/ml). The Abbott HBV DNA assay detected 85 (95%) of 89 specimens with a high HBV DNA level, but detected only 3 (17%) of 18 specimens with a low HBV DNA level. Among 7 negative specimens in the Quantiplex assay, 2 were detected positive by polymerase chain reaction. In conclusion, Quantiplex assay was more sensitive than Abbott HBV DNA assay and dot-blot hybridization assay for quantitative measurement of serum HBV DNA and can be used in the evaluation of the therapeutic drug effect on chronic hepatitis B patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Co
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000032:analysis; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012254:Ribavirin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase