Significance of HBV DNA by PCR over serological markers of HBV in acute and chronic patients.

A study was undertaken to determine Hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV DNA) by PCR in acute and chronic hepatitis B infection and to correlate it with serological markers. Three hundred and forty-five serum samples of patients from all over India were categorized into different groups according to their serological profile. HBV DNA was detected upon amplification in 166/263 patients in group A, 3/14 patients in group B, and 2/32 patients in group C, and was not detected in groups D and E. The presence of HBV DNA in 49 patients with non-replicative HBV disease, as defined by the absence of HBeAg, suggests low levels of viremia which is also supported by the abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) in these patients. In addition, HBV DNA was detected in small proportion of individuals with past HBV infection. This data suggests that, detection of HBV DNA by amplification technique serves as an important supplementary tool besides serology in a number of clinical settings, especially in determining low levels of viremia in patients with non-replicative HBV disease and chronic hepatitis, and also in a few patients with past HBV infection and who could be asymptomatic carriers of HBV infection.