title: Long-term presence of HBV in the sera of chronic hepatitis B patients with HBsAg seroclearance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to elucidate the presence of serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA at a prolonged time after seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy Japanese patients who had been observed for >5 years after HBsAg seroclearance were included in this study. Anti-HBs, anti-HBe and anti-HBc antibodies were measured 0, 5 and 10 years after HBsAg seroclearance. Serum HBV DNA was measured using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at 0, 5 and 10 years after HBsAg seroclearance. The PCR detection of serum HBV DNA using the X gene and core gene primers was done. The HBV DNA was regarded as positive when PCR detection of HBV DNA using either or both the X gene and core gene primers was positive. A multivariate regression analysis was used to assess the factors contributing to the positivity of serum HBV DNA 5 years after HBsAg seroclearance: the factors examined included age, gender, histological findings, HBV genotype, aminotransferase, total protein and interferon administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The titers of 200-fold diluted serum anti-HBc were 6.5 +/- 4.0 at 0 year after HBsAg seroclearance, 1.8 +/- 1.4 at 5 years and 0.9 +/- 0.7 at 10 years. The titers of 200-fold diluted serum anti-HBc decreased 5 and 10 years after HBsAg seroclearance with statistical significance. The positive rate of HBV DNA by the nested PCR was 71.4% (50/70) at 0 year after HBsAg seroclearance, 21.4% (15/70) at 5 years and 14.3% (3/21) at 10 years. However, there were no significant factors contributing to the positivity of serum HBV DNA 5 years after HBsAg seroclearance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that serum HBV DNA disappears with an incidence of 10-20% 5 and 10 years after HBsAg seroclearance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. es9y-ars@asahi-net.or.jp
authors.forename: Yasuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arase
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akuta
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Someya
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosaka
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sezaki
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D044967:Serum / Q000821:virology*; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014766:Viremia
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein