title: [Quantitative determination of HBV-DNA in chronic hepatitis B: comparison of three methods].
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate a technique of quantitative determination of DNA-HBV in serum, bDNA Quantiplex, in a series of 90 patients with chronic HBV infection: 75 with chronic hepatitis B (24 HBeAg positive and 51 with anti-HBe) and 15 asymptomatic carriers of HBV (anti-HBe positive). The results were related to DNA-HBV determination by hydridation techniques in dot-blot and PCR. DNA-HBV was detected by the Quantiplex bDNA technique in 61 (81%) of the 75 patients with chronic hepatitis B, in 24 (100%) of the 24 HBeAg positive patients and in 37 (72%) of the 51 anti-HBe positive (p < 0.05) patients and in none of the asymptomatic HBV carriers. The median of DNA-HBV concentration was 4,000 pg/ml in the hepatitis HBeAg and 71 pg/ml in the ati-HBe positive (p < 0.05). A significant relation was observed between the ALT value and the DNA-HBV concentration (p < 0.05). DNA-HBV by dot-blot was positive in 22 (29%) of the chronic hepatitis B and in none of the asymptomatic HBV carriers. DNA-HBV was not observed by dot-blot in 39 patients positive for DNA-HBV by the Quantiplex bDNA technique. DNA-HBV by PCR was identified in 65 (87%) of the chronic hepatitis B and in one of the asymptomatic HBV carriers. The sensitivity of the Quantiplex bDNA technique (98% versus the PCR technique) is much greater than that observed with dot-blot. In conclusion, the determination of DNA-HBV by the Quantiplex bDNA technique may be considered a good method for evaluating the viremia and degree of viral replication in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Bioquímica, Hospital General Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jardí
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cotrina
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Frías
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pascual
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guardia
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral