不同慢性肝病患者血清中乙型肝炎病毒DNA定量检测及其临床意义

目的探讨乙型肝炎病毒ＤＮＡ含量的临床意义。了解乙型肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）免疫标志不同状态的慢性肝病患者血清ＨＢＶＤＮＡ浓度及其临床意义。方法应用建立的竞争性聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）方法定量检测慢性肝炎（ＣＨ）５１例、肝硬化（ＬＣ）３６例、原发性肝癌（ＰＨＣ）３８例的血清ＨＢＶＤＮＡ浓度。结果ＨＢＶＤＮＡ阳性的ＣＨ患者血清ＨＢＶＤＮＡ浓度为４．３６ｌｏｇ１０ＨＢＶＤＮＡ拷贝５０μｌ（下同），ＬＣ为４．５５，ＰＨＣ为４．４３，三组间无显著性差异（Ｐ＞０．０５）；血清ＨＢＶ五项免疫标志均阴性或抗－ＨＢｓ阳性的慢性肝病患者中，有３７．５％患者存在低水平ＨＢＶ复制；ＨＢｅＡｇ阳性患者的ＨＢＶＤＮＡ浓度总体上明显高于抗－ＨＢｅ阳性组，但其中部分患者的ＨＢＶＤＮＡ浓度也很高。结论提示ＨＢＶ的复制状态与慢性肝病的病期无明显关系；在抗－ＨＢｅ阳性的患者中存在个体差异，故不能仅依据抗－ＨＢｅ阳转来判断ＨＢＶ复制减少或停止。     

乙/丙型肝炎病毒双重感染患者前C区终止变异低频率

目的了解乙型肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）与丙型肝炎病毒（ＨＣＶ）双重感染患者前Ｃ区基因变异，及其可能的临床意义。方法用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）与限制片段长度多态性（ＲＦＬＰ）来分析２５例ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ均阳性（Ａ组）和３１例ＨＢｓＡｇ和ＨＢＶＤＮＡ阳性但抗－ＨＣＶ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ均阴性（Ｂ组）的慢性肝病患者前Ｃ区密码２８终止变异（终２８）。结果ＨＢＶ和ＨＣＶ双重感染患者（Ａ组）血清ＨＢＶＤＮＡ第１次ＰＣＲ阳性率（１６％）明显低于单独ＨＢＶ感染组（６５％）（Ｐ＜０．００１）；前Ｃ终２８检出率（２８％）亦明显低于单独ＨＢＶ感染（６８％）（Ｐ＜０．００１）。结论提示双重感染患者ＨＢＶ前Ｃ终止变异低频率可能与ＨＢＶ低水平复制有关     

用ELISA微板法检测乙型肝炎病毒核心抗原

以双抗体包被的抗体夹心法，用微板ＥＬＩＳＡ检测血清乙型肝炎病毒核心抗原（ＨＢＣＡｇ），确定双包被工作浓度ＭＣ－抗－ＨＢｃ（效价１０００）为０．０４μｌ／孔，ＭＣ－抗－ＨＢｓ（１ｍｇ／ｍｌ）为３～４μｌ／孔；最佳裂解剂及其工作浓度为７％ＮＰ－４０巯基乙醇溶液。分别用不同的酶标记抗体检测，均证明双包被具有特异性。加入抗－ＨＢｃ进行阻断试验，其阻断率为７９．３％。对８４４例ＨＢｓＡｇ阴性的血清及１１４例ＨＢＶ－ＤＮＡ探针阴性血清用本法进行ＨＢｃＡｇ检测，均为阴性。在临床应用上，本法的阳性率明显高于试管法的，与ＨＢＶ－ＤＮＡ探针的阳性符合率为９１．４％，并且特异性与ＨＢＶ－ＤＮＡ探针的一致。     

中草药抗乙型肝炎病毒活性及其作用机理体外实验研究

用２．２．１５细胞株体外抗乙型肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）药物实验模型，对４种中草药制剂体外抗ＨＢＶ活性及其机理进行了评价，结果表明；４种中草药对细胞的５０％毒性浓度（ＣＤ５０）分别为乾坤宁〉６４０ｍｇ／Ｌ，双黄连针剂〉６４０ｍｇ／Ｌ，复方仙茅浸膏水提取液１６０ｇ／Ｌ（生药计算），复方黄芪浸膏水提取液３２０ｇ／Ｌ（生药计算）。对病毒复制指标ＨＢｓＡｇ，ＨＢｅＡｇ和细胞内ＨＢＶＤＮＡ的５０％抑制浓度（ＩＤ５０     

肝硬变内HBV DNA及其五种抗原的表达及意义

取２２５例人肝硬变活检组织石蜡切片，检测了ＨＢＶＤＮＡ及其５种抗原。分别用免疫组化ＡＢＣ法检测ＨＢｘＡｇ、ｐｒｅ－Ｓ＿１和ｐｒｅ－Ｓ＿２抗原；用ＰＡＰ法检测ＨＢｓＡｇ和ＨＢｃＡｇ；用原位杂交方法检测ＨＢＶＤＮＡ；用免疫组化、原位杂交双标记方法检测ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＢｓＡｇ、ＨＢｘＡｇ或ＨＢｃＡｇ。结果显示，阳性检出率ＨＢｓＡｇ为７０．０％（１２８／１８３例），ｐｒｅ－Ｓ＿１抗原为６４．４％（８５／１３２例）、ｐｒｅ－Ｓ＿２抗原为６１．４％（８１／１３２例），ＨＢｘＡｇ为７５．３％（１１３／１５０例），ＨＢｃＡｇ为２２．４％（３９／１７４例），ＨＢＶＤＮＡ为６２．４％（５８／９３例）。双标阳性检出率ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＢｓＡｇ为３７．３％（１９／５１例），ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＢｘ－Ａｇ为８６．３％（４４／５１例），ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＢｃＡｇ为３９．２％（２０／５１例）。ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＢＶ５种抗原阳性病例中８０％以上均伴有肝细胞不典型增生。这一结果表明，在我国肝硬变的发生发展与ＨＢＶ慢性感染有密切的关系。     

CPH肝组织、血清HBV DNA与HBV标志物不同状态的相关性

ＣＰＨ肝组织、血清ＨＢＶＤＮＡ与ＨＢＶ标志物不同状态的相关性１洪丰２王振海３赵宏涛４孙文生收集山东省立医院肝炎门诊１９９５年２月至４月经肝活检组织学诊断为慢性迁延性肝炎（ＣＰＨ）５１例，用ＰＣＲ方法检测血清及肝组织ＨＢＶＤＮＡ，同时采用斑点杂交技术对...     

聚合酶链反应检测血透患者血清中 HBV DNA 的临床意义

聚合酶链反应检测血透患者血清中ＨＢＶＤＮＡ的临床意义用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）方法检测了４２例维持性血液透析患者血清标本的乙型肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）ＤＮＡ，以评价ＰＣＲ技术在调查透析中心ＨＢＶ感染的流行病学方面的应用价值。结果在４２例标本中有１７例ＨＢＶＤ...     

血清学标志阴性的非甲～戊型肝炎的病原学研究

目的对血清学标志阴性的非甲～戊型肝炎进行病原学研究。方法用ＨＢＶＰＣＲ、ＨＣＶＲＴ－ＰＣＲ和ＨＥＶＲＴ－ＰＣＲ分别检测血清学标志阴性的非甲～戊型肝炎患者血清，并对其部分阳性产物进行克隆测序。结果８７例非甲～戊型肝炎血清ＨＢＶＤＮＡ均为阴性，９例（１０．３％）为ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性，部分经测序证实为ＨＣＶ１ｂ亚型；余７８例为ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ均阴性。该７８例中，１４例因无血清未作ＨＥＶＲＮＡ检测，余６４例中４９例（７６．６％）为ＨＥＶＲＮＡ阴性，１５例（２３．４％）为ＨＥＶＲＮＡ阳性。经序列分析显示，其中９例为典型的中国ＨＥＶ株基因序列，６例变异较大，与典型的中国株基因序列的同源性仅为８０％左右。４９例ＨＢＶＤＮＡ、ＨＣＶＲＮＡ和ＨＥＶＲＮＡ均阴性的血清中１６例（３２．６％）ＨＧＶＲＮＡ阳性。由此可见，该８７例中至少有９例为ＨＣＶ感染，１５例为ＨＥＶ感染，１６例为ＨＧＶ感染。结论对血清学标志阴性的非甲～戊型肝炎的病人应该用ＰＣＲ法进行病原学分型，以明确其诊断     

用聚合酶链反应检测人肝细胞癌乙型肝炎病毒DNA和丙型肝炎病毒RNA

为研究乙型肝炎病毒ＤＮＡ（ＨＢＶＤＮＡ）和丙型肝炎病毒ＲＮＡ（ＨＣＶＤＮＡ）与肝细胞癌的关系，用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）和巢式ＰＣＲ（ｎｅｓｔｅｄ－ＰＣＲ）分别检测４２例肝肿瘤组织中ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ。结果：１例胆管细胞癌组织ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ均阳性，１例胆管囊腺瘤ＨＢＶＤＮＡ阳性。４０例肝细胞癌组织中，单纯ＨＢＶＤＮＡ阳性１９例，单纯ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性３例，二者均阳性１０例。ＨＢＶＤＮＡ阳性率７２．５％，ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性率３２．５％。ＨＢＶＤＮＡ和ＨＣＶＲＮＡ感染与肝癌组织学分型无关；且肝细胞癌中ＨＣＶ感染与ＨＢＶ未见相关。结果提示，我国ＨＢＶ感染仍是引起肝细胞癌的主要原因。但由于肝细胞癌患者中ＨＣＶ的感染率也较高，且有上升趋势，因此ＨＣＶ可能也是肝细胞癌发生的重要原因之一。     

慢性乙型肝炎重叠HGV感染对HBV复制的影响

目的观察慢性乙型肝炎重叠ＨＧＶ感染对ＨＢＶ复制的影响．方法采用逆转录聚合酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）检测患者血清ＨＢＶ－ＤＮＡ．ＨＢＶ－ＤＮＡ定量采用荧光信号引物能量转换法．以单纯慢性乙型肝炎患者作对照研究．结果２３例ＨＧＶ重叠感染的慢性乙型肝炎患者 ＨＢＶ－ＤＮＡ、ＨＢｅＡｇ和抗－ＨＢｅ的阳性率分别为５６．５％、１７．４％和６０．９％而３４例单纯慢性乙型肝炎患者三项指标的阳性率分别为９１．２％、８５．３％和１１．８％．定量分析显示,前组ＨＢＶ－ＤＮＡ量为２．０２、后组为４．１２．经统计学处理,两组各项指标均有显著性差异．结论慢性乙型肝炎重叠ＨＧＶ感染可能会抑制ＨＢＶ的复制．     

High frequency of hepatitis B virus DNA in anti-HBe positive sera on longitudinal follow-up of patients with renal transplants and chronic hepatitis B

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers were determined in 821 patients receiving renal allografts and undergoing immunosuppressive therapy during 1970-1986. Twenty-four of the patients with a renal transplant functioning for longer than 1 year originally were or became chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). These patients remained carriers during the follow-up period, which lasted until death or until the end of 1986. Follow-up time was 1.2-15.3 years (mean 9.1 years). A total of 301 samples from the HBsAg-positive patients were tested for HBV DNA and HBeAg/DNA and HBeAg/anti-HBe. Nine patients who were constantly positive for HBeAg also remained positive for HBV DNA. Reactivation of HBV replication occurred in 11 patients. Among these, HBV DNA and HBeAg varied in parallel in six patients, three patients developed anti-HBe, and two patients were constantly positive for anti-HBe. Another four of the 24 patients seroconverted to anti-HBe, and two of these also lost HBV DNA. Three of 12 deceased patients died from liver failure during follow-up. None of these three had been constantly positive for HBeAg or HBV DNA, but they had had reactivations of HBV; two were also positive for HBV DNA in serum specimens available from their terminal month. HBV DNA was demonstrated in 99% of HBeAg-positive and 53% of anti-HBe-positive sera and in at least two samples from each of the 24 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

血清乙型肝炎病毒前S1抗原检测及其与病毒复制的关系

用抗Ｓ和抗前Ｓ１单抗的双抗体夹心ＥＬＩＳＡ法检测１５０例慢性乙型肝炎患者、乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原（ＨＢｓＡｇ）携带者和健康人血清中的ＨＢＶ前Ｓ１抗原，其结果和ＨＢＶＤＮＡ聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）、乙型肝炎血清标志的检测结果进行比较。结果表明：前Ｓ１抗原在乙型肝炎病毒ｅ抗原（ＨＢｅＡｇ）阳性组中的检出率和相对滴度显著高于ＨＢｅＡｇ阴性组（Ｐ＜０．０１）；在ＨＢｅＡｇ阴性组中，抗－ＨＢｅ阴性人群前Ｓ１抗原的检出率和相对滴度也显著高于抗－ＨＢｅ阳性人群（Ｐ＜０．０１）。前Ｓ１抗原和ＨＢＶＤＮＡ检测结果的符合率达８０％，两者检出率的相关系数ｒ＝０．９８２６（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论：血清前Ｓ１抗原和乙型肝炎病毒的存在关系密切。     

Hepatic expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

AIM--To determine the hepatic expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. METHODS--Frozen liver biopsy sections from 19 patients with chronic HBV infection were studied, 12 of whom were HBeAg positive and 10 serum HBV DNA positive. Hepatic expression of TNF alpha was determined using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS--Only infiltrating mononuclear cells showed immunoreactive staining for TNF alpha (median 2, range 0-3; n = 19) which appeared as diffuse positive staining material in the cytoplasm. Patients with active liver disease, assessed histologically and biochemically, had a higher level of expression, both in the number of TNF alpha positive cells and the proportion of TNF alpha positive infiltrating mononuclear cells. There was no correlation between the expression of TNF alpha and serological parameters of viral infection (HBeAg and HBV DNA status and HBV DNA concentrations). CONCLUSION--Hepatic expression of TNF alpha is increased in chronic HBV infection and is related to the activity of liver disease and not to the level of HBV replication.     

慢性肝炎和肝癌病人血清中乙型肝炎病毒DNA的检测

为了了解慢性肝炎和肝癌病人患者体内乙型肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）复制与ＨＢＶ血清标志之间的关系，用酶联免疫吸附实验（ＥＬＩＳＡ）、聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）及斑点杂交方法对６１例慢性肝炎和４７例肝癌患者的ＨＢＶ表面抗原（ＨＢｓＡｇ）、相关ｅ抗原（ＨＢｅＡｇ）、表面抗体（抗－ＨＢｓ）、核心抗体（抗－ＨＢｃ）、相关ｅ抗体（抗－ＨＢｅ）进行了检测。结果表明：ＨＢＶＤＮＡ在ＨＢｓＡｇ、ＨＢｅＡｇ、／抗－ＨＢｃ阳性的慢性肝炎和肝癌患者血清中的检出率分别为９０．５０％和５０．００％；在ＨＢｓＡｇ／抗－ＨＢｅ、抗－ＨＢｃ阳性者的检出率分别为４５．４０％和７．１４％；在ＨＢｓＡｇ阳性、ＨＢｅＡｇ阴性／抗－ＨＢｅ阴性者中的检出率分别为６０．００％和４０．００％；ＨＢｓＡｇ阴性、／抗－ＨＢｃ阳性或／抗－ＨＢｅ阳性或／抗－ＨＢｓ阳性者中的检出率分别为２０．００％和２２．２２％；在血清学指标全阴性时，慢性肝炎和肝癌患者血清中ＨＢＶＤＮＡ的检出率均为０。实验提示：无论是肝炎或肝癌，在ＨＢｓＡｇ、ＨＢｅＡｇ同时阳性时，ＨＢＶ复制最为活跃；在单独ＨＢｓＡｇ阳性时，ＨＢＶ有一定程度的复制；ＨＢＶ复制在肝癌细胞中受到一定程度的抑制。     

Correlation between HBV DNA detection by polymerase chain reaction and Pre-S1 antigenemia in symptomatic and asymptomatic hepatitis B virus infections

The presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome in sera from 73 symptomatic and asymptomatic HBsAg carriers was studied by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers specific for the S and C regions. Pre-S proteins of the HBV envelope were detected in serum by a specific monoclonal antibody in a double immunoradiometric assay. Out of twenty-five symptomatic patients with chronic active hepatitis (14 with HBeAg and 11 with anti-HBe), all were positive for HBV DNA by PCR, while 14/14 HBeAg and 2/11 (18%) of the anti-HBe patients were positive by dot blot hybridization. All but one anti-HBe patient (96%) carried Pre-S1 proteins. Among the asymptomatic HBsAg carriers, HBV DNA was detected by PCR in 14/14 (100%) HBeAg positive patients and in 25/34 (73%) anti-HBe positive patients. Pre-S1 proteins were found, respectively, in 14/14 (100%) and 11/22 (50%) of the same cases tested in parallel. The 20 healthy blood donors devoid of HBV markers and with normal transaminases tested were found negative for HBV DNA using PCR. Out of 12 patients who recovered from acute hepatitis B, all were found negative by PCR analysis after a mean follow up of 1 year after seroconversion to anti-HBs. When serial samples from 2 patients (one with acute hepatitis B, the other with chronic hepatitis B) were tested for the presence of HBV DNA and of Pre-S1 proteins, both markers showed parallel development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

New assays for quantitative determination of viral markers in management of chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

We performed a quantitative study of serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers, including new parameters such as pre-S1 antigen (Ag), pre-S2 Ag, and anti-HBx, in 88 chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers. New IMx assays for HBsAg and immunoglobulin M (IgM) anti-HBc detection were also used. The population studied was composed of 65 chronic hepatitis cases (40 positive for hepatitis B antigen [HBeAg] and 25 positive for anti-HBe) and 23 anti-HBe-positive, asymptomatic HBsAg carriers. Serum HBsAg levels detected by IMx were higher in HBeAg-positive than in anti-HBe-positive HBsAg carriers (all patient subgroups included) and correlated with the serum HBV DNA level (P = 0.0001). Both pre-S1 and pre-S2 Ags were detected by enzyme immunoassays in almost all HBsAg carriers. Both pre-S1 and pre-S2 Ag titers correlated positively with the serum HBsAg concentration (P = 0.0001), but only the pre-S1 Ag titer correlated with the level of serum HBV DNA (P = 0.02). The detection of low levels of IgM anti-hepatitis B core (anti-HBc) antibodies by IMx was associated with the presence of liver disease (P = 0.05) but not with the level of viral replication. The prevalence of anti-HBx antibodies detected by the enzyme immunoassay was slightly, although not significantly, higher in patients with high levels of HBV DNA (greater than 100 pg/ml) than in patients without detectable HBV DNA (P = 0.16). In anti-HBe-positive chronic HBsAg carriers, the quantitative detection of serum HBV DNA, pre-S Ag titers, and IgM anti HBc allowed us to predict which patients suffered from chronic liver disease and/or supported viral replication (P < 0.05). In a follow-up study of eight patients undergoing antiviral therapy, the clearance of both pre-S1 Ag and HBV DNA was associated with a subsequent clearance of HBV. Therefore, the quantitative determination of HBV DNA, pre-S Ags, IgM anti-HBc may prove useful for the decision to use and the monitoring of antiviral therapy, especially in anti-HBe-positive HBsAg carriers.     

Longitudinal study of hepatitis activity and viral replication before and after HBeAg seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B patients infected with genotypes B and C

The aims of this study were to compare chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with genotypes B and C for the probability of HBeAg seroconversion, hepatitis activity, and viral replication before and after HBeAg seroconversion and to compare the prevalence of core promoter and precore mutations. A total of 180 asymptomatic Chinese patients with CHB were monitored for a median of 53.8 months, and 38 patients with cirrhosis-related complications were studied. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels were measured in 16 patients with HBeAg seroconversion at 3 months before, during, and 3 months after HBeAg seroconversion and in all patients at the last follow-up. Hepatitis B genotypes and core promoter and precore mutations were determined. Compared to patients with genotype C (n = 109), patients with subtype Ba (n = 69) had a higher rate of anti-HBe positivity on presentation (P = 0.05). HBeAg-positive patients with subtype Ba had a higher cumulative rate of HBeAg seroconversion than patients with genotype C (P = 0.02). However, there were no differences between the two groups with regard to the median HBV DNA levels before, during, and after HBeAg seroconversion; the probability of having persistently normal or elevated aminotransferase levels; and the median HBV DNA levels and liver biochemistry at the last follow-up. There was no difference in the prevalence of genotypes and core promoter and precore mutations between patients with and without cirrhosis-related complications. Though patients with subtype Ba had earlier HBeAg seroconversion, the liver biochemistry, HBV DNA levels in different phases of the disease, and the probability of development of cirrhosis-related complications were the same with genotypes Ba and C.     

Active hepatitis B virus replication in the presence of anti-HBe is associated with viral variants containing an inactive pre-C region

Although rise of anti-HBe immunity in the course of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is generally followed by clearance of the infectious virions, ongoing chronic liver disease with circulating virions has been repeatedly observed in a significant number of anti-HBe patients, especially in Mediterranean countries. To investigate the possible role of HBV variants, we cloned HBV DNA from the serum of three such anti-HBe cases. Comparative restriction mapping of HBV clones suggested circulation of different HBV genomes in the three cases. DNA sequencing revealed an inactive pre-C region in all 11 HBV clones derived from the three cases, either as one or two point mutations in the 3' terminus generating an in-frame TAG stop codon, or a 1 nucleotide insertion in the 5' terminus resulting in frameshift mutation. Furthermore, for one clone the complete 3182 nucleotide sequence was determined and no significant mutation was found in the remainder of the genome. We conclude that chronic hepatitis cases positive for anti-HBe are associated with HBV variants containing an inactive pre-C region and hence cannot synthesize pre-C region-derived HBeAg. This finding may provide a molecular explanation for the continued viral replication despite presence of anti-HBe immunity.     

Hepatitis B virus DNA in asymptomatic HBsAg carriers: comparison with HBeAg/anti-HBe status

Sera of 17 HBeAg positive and 104 anti-HBe positive asymptomatic HBsAg carriers from two cohorts were tested for HBV DNA. HBV DNA was found in 13 of 17 HBeAg positive carriers (76.5%) and in only 7 of 104 of anti-HBe positive carriers (6.7%). Eleven of the 17 HBeAg positive carriers were retested for HBV DNA over a period of 7 to 36 months after the initial test. HBV DNA disappeared from the serum in 2 patients in spite of persistence of the HBe antigen. Of the 104 anti-HBe carriers, 89 were retested for HBV DNA over a period of 6 to 52 months after the initial test. HBV DNA disappeared from the serum in 5 of the 7 who were previously positive for HBV DNA, and persisted in 2. These findings indicate that there is an inconstant relationship between the time of seroconversion of HBeAg to anti-HBe and the disappearance of HBV DNA. In one HBeAg positive patient, HBV DNA, which was absent in the serum on first testing, was present on retesting. This suggests that the presence of HBV DNA in the serum of some patients may be intermittent. The presence of HBV DNA in the serum of some anti-HBe positive carriers accounts for the finding that they may be infective. All but one of the HBV DNA positive anti-HBe carriers were born outside North America, most in Asia. HBV DNA were found more frequently in the serum of anti-HBe positive carriers who had biochemical and histological evidence of liver disease than in carriers without such evidence.     

Anti-HBc titers in HBeAg and anti-HBe positive asymptomatic HBsAg carriers

A study was undertaken to establish markers for HBV replication in relation to HBeAg and anti-HBe. HBsAg carriers with serum HBeAg had DNA polymerase activity in the serum and HBcAg in the liver nuclei. Anti-HBe positive and anti-HBe/HBeAg negative sera lacked these markers. For anti-HBc the following geometrical mean titers were calculated: 1: 12,000 for HBeAg positive, 1:9, 100 for anti-HBe and anti-HBc positive, and 1:2,800 for anti-HBc positive anti-HBe/HBeAg negative asymptomatic HBsAg carriers. Follow up studies revealed mostly unchanged anti-HBc titers in all three groups over an observation period of ten to twenty months. Our data argue for a prolonged HBV replication in all HBsAg carrier subgroups compared to individuals with an uncomplicated acute virus-B-hepatitis. This study gives no final answer whether HBeAg negative HBsAg carriers have a continous HBV replication.