Hepatitis B viral load in various categories of chronic hepatitis B carriers

ABSTRACT

To determine serum hepatitis B virus [HBV] DNA levels by Real-time Polymerase chain reaction [PCR] in different categories of treatment-naive patients with chronic HBV infection in context with Hepatitis B serology and serum Alanine aminotransferase [ALT] levels. Cross-sectional study. A total of 122 chronic hepatitis B carriers, including 79 low grade carriers [Anti-HBe positive HBeAg negative], 40 high grade carriers [HBeAg positive, Anti-HBe negative] and 3 intermediate grade carriers [Both HBeAg and Anti-HBe negative] were evaluated for HBV DNA levels and serum ALT levels. The serum HBV DNA levels of the low grade carriers with normal ALT levels [<40 IU/L] were significantly lower than the low-grade carriers with raised ALT levels [mean viral load 3x10[3] vs. 1.6x10[6] copies/mL; p=0.0003]. The HBV DNA levels of the high grade carriers were significantly higher than those of the low grade carriers with normal ALT levels [mean viral load 6.4x10[7]vs. 3x10[3] copies/mL; p=0.0007] and than those of low grade carriers with raised ALT levels [mean viral load 6.4x10[7] vs. 1.6x10[6] copies/ mL; p=0.03]. The results show that HBV DNA levels vary in different categories of chronic hepatitis B carriers and when evaluated by a sensitive quantitative PCR assay the HBV DNA levels can be used for differentiation between HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B and inactive hepatitis B surface antigen carrier state