title: Correlation of HBV DNA PCR and HBeAg in hepatitis B carriers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To correlate hepatitis B HBV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results with HBeAg and serum alanine transferase (ALT) in carriers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-interventional descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out at Virology Department, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi, from January 2001 to September 2002.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty hepatitis B carriers, with known HBsAg positive serostatus, raised serum ALT and detectable HBV DNA, were selected out of the patients reporting at AFIP for their blood test for HBV DNA. HBV DNA testing in these cases was carried out using PCR kit of Accugen-USA. After confirmation of their carrier status and raised serum ALT levels, the sera were tested for HBeAg and results of HBeAg testing were correlated with those of HBV DNA testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the total 50 HBV DNA PCR positive hepatitis B carriers, 48 samples were positive for HBeAg. All the 50 HBV DNA positive cases had raised serum ALT levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In case of non-availability of facility for HBV PCR, detectable HBeAg should be taken as a surrogate marker for HBV DNA in hepatitis B carriers with raised serum ALT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi. drbabarhussain@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Agha Babar
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Karamat
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.forename: Syed Yousaf
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kazmi
authors.forename: Waheed-uz-Zaman
authors.initials: WU
authors.lastname: Tariq
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D002353:Carrier State; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase