Levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication during the nonreplicative phase: HBV quantification by real-time PCR in Korea.
The levels of HBV replication in the nonreplicative phase are not clear. We conducted this study to evaluate the levels of viral replication during the nonreplicative phase in chronic HBV-infected Korean patients using real-time PCR. A total of 125 patients were classified into three groups: inactive HBsAg carriers, inactive liver cirrhosis patients, and resolved chronic HBV-infected patients with loss of HBsAg. The real-time PCR detected HBV DNA in 112 cases (89.6%). The mean levels of HBV DNA were 3.84, 4.10, and 3.31 log copies/ml in the three groups, respectively (P <0.01). Ninety-five percent of inactive HBsAg carriers showed levels of HBV DNA lower than 6 x 10(4) copies/ml. In conclusion, we showed different levels of HBV DNA exactly in three groups during nonreplicative phases. We suggest that the cutoff level of HBV DNA in inactive HBsAg carriers should be readjusted to a lower level in future studies.
Yim
Hyung Joon
HJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Byun
Kwan Soo
KS
Chang
Yun Jung
YJ
Suh
Yeon Seok
YS
Yeon
Jong Eun
JE
Lee
Chang Hong
CH
Kwon
Jung Ah
JA
Yoo
Wangdon
W
Kim
Soo-Ok
SO
Hong
Sun Pyo
SP
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014779:Virus Replication
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens