title: Relationship between hepatitis B DNA viral load in the liver and its histology in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serial measurement of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels in the liver and its relation with liver damage and serum HBV DNA levels are guide to begin and/or end a treatment course. This study evaluated the relationship between liver hepatitis B DNA viral load with liver histology in patients with chronic hepatitis B (HBV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with chronic anti-Hbe positive hepatitis B, with liver enzymes ≥ 2 times of the upper limit of normal and positive HBV DNA of any amount were entered in the study. They underwent percutaneous liver biopsy. Liver and serum viral load were determined using real time polymerase chain reaction method (RT-PCR). Liver function tests and liver histology for all cases were recorded. The amount of viral load in the liver and histological grading and staging were recorded. Data were collected and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 32.8±10 years and 24 (80%) patients were males. Ten (33.3%) patients had HBV viral load levels less than 20000 IU/mL. There was a significant correlation between liver viral load levels with staging or grading of liver damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study showed a strong correlation between liver viral load and liver damage in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Tahmineh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Biazar
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yahyapour
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hasanjani Roushan
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajabnia
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taheri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranaei
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Masomeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bayani
keywords: Chronic hepatitis B; Liver; Serum; Viral load