No abstract available.
Hepatitis B virus/isolation & purification ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/diagnosis/*drug therapy/virology ; Humans ; Serologic Tests

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Occult HBV infection is characterized by the presence of HBV infection with undetectable HBsAg. This study was carried out to find out the frequency of HBV infection in HBsAg- negative patients. METHODS: Fifty-six HBsAg-negative patients including 17 anti-HCV positive patients were evaluated. Patients were grouped according to their serological status; group A (anti-HBc+, anti-HBs-, n=16), B (anti-HBc+, anti-HBs+, n=26), and C (anti-HBc-, anti-HBs+/-, n=14). DNA was extracted from frozen liver biopsy specimen, and HBV DNA level was measured with real-time PCR. RESULTS: Overall frequency of detectable intrahepatic HBV DNA was 34% (19/56). The frequency was 56% (9/16) in group A, 31% (8/26) in group B and 14% (2/14) in group C (P=0.01). Intrahepatic HBV DNA levels were as follows; 2,010 +/- 6,660 copies/mg in group A, 6,180 +/- 29,530 copies/mg in group B and 350 +/- 1,220 copies/mg in group C. The frequency of occult HBV infection was not increased in anti-HCV positive patients. CONCLUSIONS: Intrahepatic HBV DNA is frequently detected in anti-HBc positive, HBsAg-negative patients, although the concentration is low.
Middle Aged ; Male ; Liver/*virology ; Humans ; Hepatitis B virus/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/*analysis ; Hepatitis B/*diagnosis/immunology/virology ; Female ; DNA, Viral/*analysis ; Aged ; Adult

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To study the correlations between clinical features and liver pathohistological changes of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers and to discuss the factors which may influence the prognosis.

<b>METHODSb>Ninety HBV carriers who had liver biopsies were enrolled in this study.

<b>RESULTSb>(1) The mean follow-up period of the patients was 118 weeks. (2) Fifty-four patients (60.0%) had G1 hepatitis and 21 (23.3%) had G2 hepatitis. The fibrosis stages were graded as S1(42) and S2(21). (3) There were significant age differences among S0, S1 and S2. (4) There were significant differences in aminotransferase levels between patients who had a normal liver histology and those who had mild hepatitis. (5) The grades of liver inflammation were not correlated with the titers of HBeAg and HBV DNA in sera. The stages of liver fibrosis were not correlated with the titers of HBVDNA in sera. Most of the HBeAg negative patients progressed to S2. (6) There were significant differences in spleen dimensions measured by ultrasonography between S0, S1 and S2 patients. (7) During the follow-up period serum aminotransferase (ALT) levels remained normal in 60 patients (group A); 22 patients had transient elevations (group B), and 8 patients had persistent increases (group C). There were significant differences of the ratios of S0 and S2 cases among patients in groups A, B and C. (8) Age and fibrosis stages were predictive factors of liver cirrhosis.

<b>CONCLUSIONSb>Most chronic HBV carriers had mild inflammatory histological changes in their livers and also had different degrees of liver fibrosis. This follow-up study shows that some of those carriers should have had antiviral therapy.

Adult ; Carrier State ; diagnosis ; pathology ; virology ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To investigate the relationship between basal core promoter (BCP) combined point mutation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and TCM syndrome type.

<b>METHODSb>One hundred and two patients with chronic hepatitis with positive HBV DNA and hadn't ever been treated by Lamivudine and interferon were differentiated according TCM syndrome differentiation into 5 types, two excess types (damp-heat blocking zhong-jiao type and blood stasis blocking collaterals type) and three deficiency types, gan-stagnation with pi-dificiency type, gan-shen yin-deficiency type and pi-shen yang-deficiency type. The serum HBV DNA, hepatic biochemical indexes, and the mutation of BCPnt 1762A-T and nt1764G-A combined point were determined, respectively.

<b>RESULTSb>The variant strain positive rate detected in the excess type was significantly higher than that in the deficiency type, the highest rate appeared in patients of damp-heat blocking zhong-jiao type.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>BCP combined point mutation may be liable to happen in patients of TCM excess type, especially in patients of damp-heat blocking zhong-jiao type.

Diagnosis, Differential ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; diagnosis ; virology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Point Mutation ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics

<b>OBJECTIVEb>By means of observing the clinical development of asymptomatic chronic HBsAg carriers (AsC) to explore the clinical rule of development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) to liver cirrhosis (LC) to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to seek effective method for blocking the procedure.

<b>METHODSb>AsCs were selected from health examination according to the diagnostic standard from the National Program for Prevention and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis, by periodical or non-periodical conventional examination of liver diseases, mixed infection of HCV was excluded. A 16-year systematic observation on clinical process of HBV infection series was completed.

<b>RESULTSb>In the 217 AsCs observed, 21 cases (9.68%) with the HBsAg negatively converted, the average year negative conversion rate being 0.58%, among them, 13/21 cases (61.9%) had production of anti-HBs antigen; 20 cases were clinically cured; 1 case transferred to HCC; 124 cases (57.14%) remained asymptomatic carriers; 73 transferred to chronic liver disease, showing a tendency of gradually developing from CHB to LC to HCC, the year transferring rate from AsC to LC and HCC being 1.04% and 0.40%, respectively. Fifteen patients died of liver diseases, in which one died of severe CHB, 3 of LC and 11 of HCC.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>Different clinical end-results may reveal in AsCs according to their age and regulation on immune response to HBV. Few of the HCC and LC patients were HBeAg (e+) positive, they often reveal HBeAg (e-) negative or anti-HBe positive. HCC always develops on the basis of liver fibrosis or cirrhosis, which are the prophase of HCC, and patients with liver fibrosis or cirrhosis are the high risk group of developing HCC. HCC is not only the terminal pathologic stage of hepatopathy, but also one of the most important factors that causes death of chronic hepatopathy. From the viewpoint of integrative medicine in typing hepatopathy to observe the clinical speciality of AsC developing to CHB, LC and HCC, it is considered that the degree of blood stasis is in accordance with the development of hepatopathy.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; virology ; Carrier State ; virology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; virology ; Liver Neoplasms ; virology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Child ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Glomerulonephritis ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; virology ; Guidelines as Topic ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans

No abstract available.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*complications ; Hepatocytes/*pathology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis/*pathology/virology ; Risk Factors

<b>OBJECTIVEb>To discuss the significance of testing hepatitis B virus (HBV) from saliva in HBV patients.

<b>METHODSb>HBV DNA content in serum and saliva of 200 HBV patients and 20 healthy subjects were detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. According to the serum level of HBV content, four groups were divided: control group A, group B negative, low virus C (1 x 10(3) - 1 x 10(5) copies/ml) and high-group D ( > 1 x 10(5) copies/ml). The relationship of serum and virus content in saliva was analysed.

<b>RESULTSb>Of 200 HBV cases, 180 were found HBV DNA in serum with positive rate of 90.0%; while 145 were found HBV DNA in saliva with positive rate of 72.5%, and there was no significant difference (chi2 = 1.35, P > 0.05). The significant difference was observed in testing serum and saliva in Group C (100.0% vs. 38.5%; Z = 14.11, P < 0.01). In group D, there was no significant difference found either (100.0% vs. 83.8%; chi2 = 1.05, P > 0.05). Group D virus serum had a high average level of (6.63 +/- 1.55) log copies/ml virus and in the saliva had an average level of (5.21 +/- 1.85) log copies/ml; saliva had serum viral load lower than an order of magnitude average. No HBV DNA was found in serum or saliva from 20 health subjects.

<b>CONCLUSIONb>When the serum contains a high content of HBV DNA virus, the content of saliva HBV DNA virus should be likely high, which might pose a threat of source of infection. A precise quantitative detection of HBV DNA in saliva might be used as evaluation of the level of virus in the body copy for judgment of infection.

Case-Control Studies ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; diagnosis ; transmission ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Saliva ; virology

Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Hepatitis D ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Fungal ; diagnosis ; therapy ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Many patients with positive anti-HBc, but negative HBsAg, are known to harbor occult HBV infection, which may transmit the virus through the graft in liver transplantation. We examined the change of HBV DNA within the liver allograft tissue of the donor with positive anti-HBc, but negative HBsAg, before and after the transplantation and assessed its significance. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with available posttransplant biopsies that received anti-HBc positive liver allografts between April 2000 and November 2003 were enrolled in the study. Intraoperative wedge biopsy of donor liver and needle biopsy of the recipient around the 12th postoperative day were used. HBV DNA within the liver tissue was identified by polymerase chain reaction technique using paraffin-embedded liver tissue. RESULTS: Among 13 patients that showed positive amplification before transplantation, 10 turned negative and 3 remained positive after transplantation. One patient, who was negative, became positive after transplantation. Three patients had recurrent HBV infection, but none had positive PCR before or after transplantation and recurrence was not associated with PCR results. Donors with low anti-HBs titer were more likely to be PCR positive compared to donors with high anti-HBs serology (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Under adequate prophylactic measures, the presence of HBV DNA within the liver tissue does not affect recurrence and most allografts harboring HBV DNA before transplantation will eventually show viral clearance. However, many anti-HBc positive allografts are infected by HBV at subclinical level so vigilant surveillance is essential.
Middle Aged ; Male ; *Living Donors ; *Liver Transplantation ; Liver/virology ; Humans ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/diagnosis/immunology/virology ; Hepatitis B virus/*genetics ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens/*immunology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies/*analysis ; Female ; DNA, Viral/*analysis ; Adult