J. Monjardino

Detection of serum HBV-DNA by molecular hybridisation: Correlation with HBeAg/Anti-HBe status, racial origin, liver histology and hepatocellular carcinoma

The relationship of the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in serum, a measure of HBV-replication, to HBeAg/anti-HBe status has been examined. In Northern Europe, there is a strong positive correlation between the presence of HBV-DNA and HBe antigenaemia and a negative correlation with the presence of anti-HBe. These associations are less marked in patients from Southern Europe, Africa, the Middle and Far East. When HBV-DNA is present in the serum of anti-HBe carriers, it is usually associated with the presence of severe liver disease or carcinoma. Forty percent of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had evidence of continuing HBV replication.

Studies of HBV replication during acute hepatitis followed by recovery (and acute hepatitis progressing to chronic disease

The serologic and viral profiles of 24 patients who presented with acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were studied. Although in rare cases, HBV-DNA was detectable before hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and e antigen (HBeAg), in the majority the viral proteins appeared first. In acute hepatitis followed by recovery, as IgM anti-HBc (hepatitis B core antigen) titres rose, the level of HBV replication fell and serum transaminases became elevated. In patients progressing to chronic HBV infection, IgM anti-HBc titres rose early, viral replication was initially low but continued to rise as the serum transaminase levels became elevated. 7S IgM anti-HBc, although present in the phase of established chronic HBV infection, was not found in the early phase of the chronic infection. Thus this antibody appears to be a consequence of, rather than a causative factor in, chronic HBV infection.

Use of biotinylated probes in serum hepatitis B virus DNA detection

A dot-blot hybridisation assay for serum HBV DNA is described using a non-radioactive (biotinylated) DNA probe. The assay is both sensitive (1 pg of HBV DNA) and reproducible, and shows several advantages over similar assays which use 32P-labelled probes for the routine detection of infectious virus particles both in blood and in other biological fluids.