Very low-level viremia: new clinical attention-requiring problem during the course of anti-hepatitis B virus treatment

VernacularTitle:极低病毒血症：抗乙型肝炎病毒治疗过程中需要关注的临床新问题
Author: Yujing SHI ¹ ; Yin DING ; Ling AO ; Dazhi ZHANG ; Dachuan CAI
Author Information

1. 重庆医科大学附属第二医院感染病科　重庆医科大学病毒性肝炎研究所　感染性疾病分子生物学教育部重点实验室，重庆　400010
Keywords: Hepatitis B; Nucleotide/nucleoside analogue; Very low-level viremia; Complete virological response
From: Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2021;29(12):1147-1150
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Clinical studies have validated low-level viremia is associated with a variety of adverse outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis B during the course of receiving nucleos(t)ide analogue antiviral therapy. With the advancement of PCR technology, the high sensitivity PCR detection of HBV DNA can reach the lower limit of detection of < 5-10 IU/mL. The standard criterion for judging among patients who have achieved complete virological response is HBV DNA levels < 20 IU/ml. The use of highly sensitive PCR tests can detect very low-level viremia (HBV DNA < 20 IU/ml, but > 5-10 IU/mL) in some patients. However, there are currently fewer relevant studies, and more research data needs to be accumulated to answer this clinical question of whether long-term very low-level viremia affects the clinical outcome of patients with chronic hepatitis B.