Determination Of Hepatitis B Virus DNA Related With Its Serum Markers

Objective To investigate the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA determined by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay (FQ-PCR) and HBV serum markers. Methods HBV DNA were determined by FQ-PCR, and HBV PreS1 antigen (PreS1) and other HBV markers were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the serum samples collected from the patients with HBV infection. Results Out of 182 samples positive for HBV DNA, HBsAg was detected in 179 (98.4%), HBcAb in 171 (94.0%), three samples were negative for HBsAg, one was positive for only HBcAb, and one was negative for all HBV markers. PreS1 and HBeAg was detected in 113 (62.1%) and 120 (62.1%) respectively, both PreS1 and HBeAg were detected in 76 samples (41.8%), samples positive for both of them were 157 (86.3%), there was no statistical difference between positive rates of PreS1 and HBeAg; out of 110 samples negative for HBV DNA but positive for HBsAg, HBcAb was detected in 104 (94.5%), PreS1 and HBeAg were detected in 24 (21.8%) and 5(4.6%) respectively, both were detected in 3 samples (2.7%), there was no statistical difference between positive rates of PreS1 and HBeAg (P<0.001) . There was no statistical difference between samples of high and low HBV DNA levels. For samples positive for HBV DNA, the HBV DNA levels (denary logarithm value) of samples positive for only PreS1 or HBeAg were 6.614 ± 1.921 (x ± s) and 6.829±1.377 respectively, and HBV DNA level was 6.703 ± 1.435 and 6.313 ± 1.363 for samples positive and negative for both respectively, and there was no statistical difference between the two groups. Conclusion PreS1 and HBeAg correlate strongly with HBV DNA, they can be used as markers of HBV replication, and better effect will be achieved if they can be applied together. There is no evident relationship between their existent patterns and HBV DNA levels in serum. HBsAg is still sensitive marker of HBV infection. Samples withoutHBsAg were basically eliminated the possibility of HBV infection. But for those patients with abnormal liver function and negative for serological markers of HBV, HBV DNA should be detected. Although there was no correlation between HBcAb and HBV replication, HBV DNA should be determined for samples with HBcAb as the sole marker, so that occult HBV infection can be found .