Evidence of a 1985-1987 outbreak of acute and chronic hepatitis in Egypt caused by a mutant hepatitis-B virus detected by spot-DNA hybridization test

ABSTRACT

Sera from 65 acute and 113 chronic sporadic hepatitis were screened for serological markers of hepatitis B virus [HBV] and hepatitis delta virus [HDV] and for HBV-DNA. The enzyme linked immune sorbent assay [ELISA] and dot-DNA hybridization tests were used. Two HBV-DNA probes and their labelling systems [biotin, radiolabelling with [32P] and digoxigenin] were compared for sensitivity and specificity. The 65 acute sera had serological parameters of HBV infection in 38 [58%] when all these sera were HBsAg, IgM anti HBcAg positive plus HBeAg presence in 11/38 sera. Some of the acute sera had markers of acute HBV and HDV Co-infection in 14 and superinfection in 13. Thus HBV with HDV represented 27 [41.5%] of the acute hepatitis in this study. Correlation of these serological markers with dot-DNA hybridization results showed that serum HBV-DNA was present in 36/38 [94.7%] of the acute HBV infection. In the case of acute HBV + HDV positive antigenoemia 4/6 had serum HBV-DNA while 10/21 of acute HBV with antidelta V. IgM had serum HBV-DNA. There were four cases that gave HBV-DNA positivity in sera without combination of HBV markers suggesting infection with [mutant] HBV. In the chronic hepatitis sera there were markers of HBV past infection [IgG anti HBc in 63/113 and IgG anti HBs in 36/113]. Yet, among these sera there was HBV-DNA positive signals [20/63 and 17/36] respectively. Analysis of some of these HBV markers also suggested infection with [mutant] HBV