Ma. Loriot et al., PERSISTENCE OF HEPATITIS-B VIRUS-DNA IN SERUM AND LIVER FROM PATIENTSWITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS-B AFTER LOSS OF HBSAG, Journal of hepatology, 27(2), 1997, pp. 251-258
Background/Aims: The persistence of serum and liver hepatitis B virus
(HBV) sequences in patients with chronic hepatitis B after loss of HBs
Ag has already been described, We have attempted to elucidate the sign
ificance of these HBV sequences after loss of HBsAg. Methods: Fifteen
patients were studied, We looked for serum and liver HBV DNA, using po
lymerase chain reaction (PCR) with different sets of primers and ill s
itu hybridization. The sedimentation velocity of serum HBV DNA was mea
sured on a gradient of sucrose in two patients. Results: Serum HBV DNA
was detected by PCR in four of the 14 patients tested at 0 months aft
er loss of HBsAg, two patients remained HBV DNA positive until 12 mont
hs, and none was positive at 24 months. The sedimentation velocity of
serum HBV DNA in sucrose was relatively similar to that of a chronic H
BV carrier with active viral replication. Liver HBV DNA was demonstrat
ed by PCR in all 15 patients and by in situ hybridization in six patie
nts. Conclusions: Our results show that: 1) HBV DNA may persist in the
serum in a minority of patients and may be associated with circulatin
g viral particles; 2) HBV DNA persists in the liver in all patients an
d its extrachromosomal localization was shown by in situ hybridization
technique in some cases. These results suggest the persistence of low
-level HBV replication after loss of HBsAg.