[Correlation of hepatitis B e antigen with hepatitis B virus DNA in the serum of chronic hepatitis B patients after treatment].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the correlation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA with the serological markers of HB in the serum of chronic HB patients after treatment PCR method and to analyze the status of these markers and the multiplication of virus.


METHODS
Peripheral blood samples were collected from 480 chronic HB patients, aged 15 - 50, who had been treated by anti-nucleotide drugs or traditional Chinese herbs and showed normal ALT/AST. Both COBAS AMPLICOR HBV MONIORTM kit (internal-standard PCR method) and Light Cycler real time fluorescent quantitative PCR instrument (external-quantitative standard PCR method) were used to measure the HBV DNAS level. 42 of the 312 patients with the HBV DNA level lower than the minimum test limit measured by COBAS AMPLICOR HBV MONIORTM kit and HBeAg positive (>4 S/CO) underwent microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) to test the HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe, and HBcIgG.


RESULTS
Seven of the 42 patients with HBV DNA negative measured by COBAS AMPLICOR HBV MONIORTM kit lower then the minimum test limit were shown as HBV DNA positive by Light Cycler real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. The 42 patients were HBsAg (+), anti-HBs (-), HBeAg (+), anti-HBe (-), and anti-HBcIgG (-), with an average HBeAg level of 42.26 S/CO and a positive HBeAg rate of 13.46%.


CONCLUSIONS
HBeAg positivity does not necessarily means an active multiplication of HBV. The changes of the serological markers of HBV may be not consistent with that of HBV DNA. It is more objective to undergo both internal-standard and external-quantitative standard methods.
Dou
Ya-ling
YL
Department of Clinical Lab, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Ni
An-ping
AP
Han
Jian-hua
JH
Sun
Jiang-yan
JY
Yu
Rong-rong
RR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens