title: Epidemiological and laboratory features of chronic hepatitis B cases in the interval 2010-2013.
abstract: HBV virus infection is an important public health problem because of its huge transmission potential, and severe evolution to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Analysis of the epidemiological and laboratory features of chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients with chronic hepatitis B admitted to the "Sf. Parascheva" University Hospital for Infectious Diseases in the interval: January 1st, 2010 - December 31st were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients age was 18 to 66 years with a prevalence of middle-aged males. Most patients came from urban areas. Alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) levels were elevated, without significant differences between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients, the elevated ALAT levels being associated with the increased prevalence of fibrosis. HBeAg-positive patients had viral loads above the threshold of 2,000/l in 34 cases (89.5%), and below 2,000 IU/l in only 10.5% of cases, and the majority (88%) of HBeAg-negative patients presented high viral load levels. The prevalence of stage F2-F4 liver fibrosis was 63.4% in the HBeAg-negative patients with viremia > 25,000 IU/l compared to 55.2% in the HBeAg-positive patients. The correlation between the level of viral load and fibrosis shows that there are significant differences between viremia and the status of HBeAg-positive or negative patients. Increased viral load was correlated with increasing prevalence of fibrosis, significant in HBeAg-negative patients, and the increasing fibrosis prevalence was correlated with low viral load.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The correlation between viral load and fibrosis shows that there are significant differences between viral load and the status of HBAg-positive or negative patients.
authors: A S
authors: AS
authors: Luca
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Dorobăţ
authors: Ramona Gabriela
authors: RG
authors: Ursu
authors: Mihaela Cătălina
authors: MC
authors: Luca
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Vâţă
authors: Luminiţa Smaranda
authors: LS
authors: Iancu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase