[Occult hepatitis B virus infection in chronic viral hepatitis patients with non-A to E hepatitis virus infection].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the status of occult hepatitis B virus infection in chronic viral hepatitis patients with non-A to E hepatitis virus infection and explore the diagnostic value of fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) technique for occult hepatitis B virus infection.


METHODS
The amount of HBV-DNA in serum and liver tissue from 57 patients with non-A to E hepatitis virus infection who were diagnosed as chronic viral hepatitis by Menghini method liver biopsy were detected by using FQ-PCR technique, then the relation between the viral load of HBV DNA in liver tissue and hepatic inflammatory activity were analyzed.


RESULTS
Thirteen (22.81%), 22 (38.60%) patients were positive for HBV DNA in serum and liver tissue, respectively. The positive rate and the level of HBV DNA quantity in liver tissue were significantly higher than those in serum; HBV DNA was found positive in both serum and liver tissue in 13 cases, negative in both serum and liver tissue in 35, positive in liver tissue but negative in serum in 9, and in none of the cases HBV DNA was positive in serum but negative in liver tissue (P < 0.01). The logarithmic value of HBV DNA from 13 patients in liver tissue and in serum was respectively: (6.62 +/- 1.21) copies/g vs.(4.03 +/- 1.06) copies/ml, P < 0.01. The hepatic lesions of all HBV DNA positive patients were active pathologic changes, but the level of HBV DNA in liver tissue was not significantly correlated with the grade of hepatic inflammation activity (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Occult HBV infection is the etiology of part of the chronic viral hepatitis patients with non-A-E hepatitis virus infection. Missed diagnosis will occur if diagnosis of hepatitis B is only based on detection of serum HBV markers. It is useful for improvement of the diagnostic level of HBV infection via detection of HBV DNA quantitatively in serum especially in liver tissue of chronic viral hepatitis patients with non-A-E hepatitis virus infection by using FQ-PCR technique. The chronic viral hepatitis patients with occult HBV infection should be also given effective anti-viral therapy.
Shang
Qing-hua
QH
Institute of Liver Disease, Jinan Military Region, The 88th Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Taian 271000, China. shangqh@163.com
Yu
Jian-guo
JG
Xu
Chuan-zhen
CZ
An
Yong
Y
Liu
Fu-yi
FY
Sun
Si-cai
SC
Zhang
Guang-shu
GS
D002353:Carrier State / Q000503:physiopathology; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens