DETECTION OF HEPATITIS-B VIRUS-DNA IN LIVER BY POLYMERASE-CHAIN-REACTION FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF FULMINANT-HEPATITIS-B

To assess the involvement of GB virus C (GBV-C) or hepatitis B virus ( HBV) infection in fulminant hepatitis of unknown etiology, GBV-C RNA a nd HBV DNA in serum were retrospectively assayed by polymerase chain r eaction (PCR) in six patients with fulminant hepatitis of unknown etio logy (group A) and in three patients with fulminant hepatitis B (group B). Additionally, liver specimens were tested for both GBV-C RNA and HBV DNA in two patients and for only HBV DNA in another patient in gro up A. GBV-C RNA in serum and liver was not detected in any patient. HE V DNA in serum was detected only in patients in group B, while in live r it was detectable in three patients in group A. These results sugges t that GBV-C infection is unlikely to be involved in fulminant hepatit is of unknown etiology and that the detection of HBV DNA in liver by P CI: is useful for diagnosis of fulminant hepatitis B that shows no ser ologic evidence of the current infection. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ir eland Ltd. All rights reserved.