Comparison of ultracentrifugation and polyethylene glycol precipitation for concentration of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA for molecular hybridisation tests and the relationship of HBV-DNA to HBe antigen and anti-HBe status.

A 32P-labelled DNA probe was used to examine 50 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive sera for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA. HBV-DNA was detected in all 21 HBeAg-positive samples, in one out of 21 anti-HBe-positive samples and in three out of eight HBeAg- and anti-HBe-negative samples. The results of this DNA hybridisation test correlated well with HBeAg status and could be used to determine infectivity in HBeAg- and anti-HBe-negative samples. Ultracentrifugation was marginally superior to polyethylene glycol precipitation for concentrating HBV-DNA from serum.