What can be revealed by extending the sensitivity of HBsAg detection to below the present limit?

[Guest guest]

J Hepatol. 2008 Jul;49(1):17-24. Epub 2008 Apr 22.

What can be revealed by extending the sensitivity of HBsAg detection to below

the present limit?

Togashi H, Hashimoto C, Yokozawa J, Suzuki A, Sugahara K, Saito T, Yamaguchi I,

Badawi H, Kainuma N, Aoyama M, Ohya H, Akatsuka T, Tanaka Y, Mizokami M, Kawata

S.

Department of Gastroenterology, Course of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics,

Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University Health

Administration Center, 1-4-12 Kojirakawa-machi, Yamagata 990-8560, Japan.

htogashi@...

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated what can be revealed by extending the

sensitivity of HBsAg detection to below the present limit. METHODS: We examined

the sensitivity of this immunoassay in comparison with real-time PCR detection

of HBV DNA using serially diluted sera from HBV carriers. Low HBsAg was measured

in 210 healthy volunteers and 368 patients with non-B chronic liver diseases who

were negative for HBsAg by a standard EIA method. RESULTS: The radical

immunoassay was able to detect HBsAg at a concentration of 0.025 ng/ml. Low

HBsAg was positive in 6 of 210 normal volunteers (2.86%), 5 of 65 non-B, non-C

cirrhosis patients (7.69%), 6 of 62 non-B, non-C hepatocellular carcinoma

patients (9.68%: p=0.04 vs. volunteers), 12 of 134 chronic hepatitis C patients

(8.96%: p