Analysis of carriers of hepatitis B virus from a tertiary referral hospital: Does the viral load change during the natural course of infection?

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J Med Virol. 2011 Apr 22. doi: 10.1002/jmv.22074. [Epub ahead of print]

Analysis of carriers of hepatitis B virus from a tertiary referral hospital:

Does the viral load change during the natural course of infection?

Aakanksha, Asim M, Sharma PK, Das BC, Kar P.

Source

Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi, New

Delhi, India.

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the prevalence, forms of transmission,

mutational profile and viral load at baseline of hepatitis B virus (HBV)

carriers in Delhi. HBV surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients were enrolled

and evaluated clinically for liver function, serological markers for hepatitis B

and HBV DNA quantitation. Tests were carried out again 1 year later and the

results were compared. Liver biopsy was carried out on all carriers with active

viral replication. HBV DNA-positive samples were subjected to polymerase chain

reaction single-stranded conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) to screen

mutations in the Precore, core, and the X-gene prior to sequencing analysis.

Among the 100 patients examined, HBeAg was detected in 23% and 40% were HBV

DNA-positive. Of the 40 HBV DNA-positive cases, 8 had precore/core mutations,

[G1896A (10%), T2066A (12.5%), T2050C (10%), and G1888A (7.5%)]. No X gene

mutants were detected. Reduction in viral load was higher in HBeAg-positive

patients, as compared to HBeAg-negative patients, over 1 year. At follow-up, 2/8

HBV mutants corresponded with altered liver function and morphological changes

suggestive of chronic hepatitis. One patient was re-designated as DNA-negative

on follow-up and had wild-type virus infection with a relatively low viral load.

The predominant route for HBV transmission was determined to be parenteral.

Twenty percent of the HBV carriers were infected with precore and core mutant

HBV. Although the clinical and biochemical profiles of these HBV carriers

remained largely stable on follow-up, there was evidence of spontaneous

reduction in the mean viral load over the 1-year study period.

J. Med. Virol.

© 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 21520137 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

[Guest guest]

J Med Virol. 2011 Apr 22. doi: 10.1002/jmv.22074. [Epub ahead of print]

Analysis of carriers of hepatitis B virus from a tertiary referral hospital:

Does the viral load change during the natural course of infection?

Aakanksha, Asim M, Sharma PK, Das BC, Kar P.

Source

Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi, New

Delhi, India.

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the prevalence, forms of transmission,

mutational profile and viral load at baseline of hepatitis B virus (HBV)

carriers in Delhi. HBV surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients were enrolled

and evaluated clinically for liver function, serological markers for hepatitis B

and HBV DNA quantitation. Tests were carried out again 1 year later and the

results were compared. Liver biopsy was carried out on all carriers with active

viral replication. HBV DNA-positive samples were subjected to polymerase chain

reaction single-stranded conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) to screen

mutations in the Precore, core, and the X-gene prior to sequencing analysis.

Among the 100 patients examined, HBeAg was detected in 23% and 40% were HBV

DNA-positive. Of the 40 HBV DNA-positive cases, 8 had precore/core mutations,

[G1896A (10%), T2066A (12.5%), T2050C (10%), and G1888A (7.5%)]. No X gene

mutants were detected. Reduction in viral load was higher in HBeAg-positive

patients, as compared to HBeAg-negative patients, over 1 year. At follow-up, 2/8

HBV mutants corresponded with altered liver function and morphological changes

suggestive of chronic hepatitis. One patient was re-designated as DNA-negative

on follow-up and had wild-type virus infection with a relatively low viral load.

The predominant route for HBV transmission was determined to be parenteral.

Twenty percent of the HBV carriers were infected with precore and core mutant

HBV. Although the clinical and biochemical profiles of these HBV carriers

remained largely stable on follow-up, there was evidence of spontaneous

reduction in the mean viral load over the 1-year study period.

J. Med. Virol.

© 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 21520137 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]