Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA by the polymerase chain reaction in anti-HBE positive chronic hepatitis B patients

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: J.R.R. Pinho, C.A. Santos, C.L.M. Gonzalez, L. Bassit, C.C. Barreto, A. Saez-Alquezar, A.V.C. França, F.J. Carrilho, L.E.P. Fonseca, D.A.F. Chamone, L. C. da Silva
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1993
• Subjects: HBV; PCR; replication Markers; chronic Hepatitis; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46651993000600007; https://doaj.org/article/e0ffdd55c6ec42ceb5d543516a4e4641

Detection of HBV-DNA by PCR was compared with other serological markers (HBsAg, HBeAg and anti-HBe) in a series of49 Chronic Hepatitis B patients, including 12 with a spontaneous clearance of HBsAg. None of these HBsAg negative cases were PCR positive, but 33/37 (89.2%) HBsAg positive cases were PCR positive (p < 0.0001). Among HBsAg positive samples, nine cases were HBeAg positive and anti-HBe negative, all of them PCR positive. Other 3 patients were HBeAg and anti-HBe positive and these cases were also found PCR positive. A third group included 21 patients anti-HBe positive and HBeAg negative: 19 of them were PCR positive and 2 were PCR negative. The last 4 cases were HBeAg and anti-HBe negative, two of them were PCR positive. The detection of anti-HBe viremic cases in the present series suggest that preC variants could occur in our country. In conclusion, the integrated phase o f chronic hepatitis B seems to be less frequent than it was assumed, when only HBeAg or dot blot hybridization techniques were used. The new term "low replication phase" might favorably replace the former "integrated phase". A detecção do DNA do Vírus da Hepatite B pela Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR) foi comparada com os outros marcadores sorológicos virais (AgHBs, AgHBe e anti-HBe) numa série de 49 pacientes com hepatite crônica B, incluindo 12 que apresentaram clareamento espontâneo do AgHBs. Nenhum caso AgHBs negativo foi PCR positivo, mas 33/37 (89,2%) dos casos AgHBs positivos foram PCR positivos (p < 0,0001). Entre as amostras AgHBs positivas, 9 foram AgHBc positivas e anti-HBe negativas, todas elas PCR positivas. Outros 3 pacientes foram AgHBe e anti-HBe positivos, todos também PCR positivos. Um terceiro grupo incluía 21 pacientes anti-HBe positivos e anti-HBe negativos: 19 foram PCR positivos e 2 PCR negativos. Os últimos 4 casos foram AgHBe e anti-HBe negativos, sendo 2 destes PCR positivos. A detecção de casos virêmicos anti-HBe positivos sugere que as variantes preC do VHB podem também estar presentes em nosso ...