Detection of transcriptionally active hepatitis B virus DNA in peripheral mononuclear blood cells after infection during immunosuppressive chemotherapy using the polymerase chain reaction.

Using PCR we have studied mononuclear peripheral blood leucocytes (PMBLs) from HBV-infected immunosuppressed patients in order to detect the presence of HBV genomes. Our results indicate that non-transient PMBL infection is common in immunotolerant carriers. In addition, the presence of pregenomic mRNA sequences suggests that virus replication may take place in PMBLs, possibly implicating the latter as a source of virus after replication has ceased in the liver.