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HBV-DNA, HBeAg/anti-HBe serological status in hepatitis B chronic individuals from central Italy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

M. Rapicetta*
Affiliation:
Department of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
V. Di Nardo
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Civil Hospital, Rieti, Italy
C. Rozera
Affiliation:
Department of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
G. Marinucci
Affiliation:
Department of Immunology, Hospital ‘s. Giacomo’, Rome, Italy
D. Francisci
Affiliation:
Institute of Infectious Diseases University of Perugia, Italy
B. Sarrecchia
Affiliation:
Department of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
C. Ricci
Affiliation:
Civil Hospital, Tivoli, Italy
F. Albertoni
Affiliation:
Regional Epidemiologic Unit, Rome, Italy
*
* M. Rapicetta, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Virology, V. le Regina Elena, 229-00161, Rome, Italy.
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Summary

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A population of 488 HBsAg carrier individuals, from central Italy, classified on the basis of biochemical, clinical and histological parameters, was analysed for the presence of HBV-DNA in serum and its relationship with HBeAg/anti-HBe markers. The prevalence of HBV-DNA was 32·8% in chronic patients with biopsy-proven liver disease, and 20 and 4·3% respectively in asymptomatic carriers with and without altered ALT levels. The values in chronic patients were correlated with the histological activity.

Concordance of HBV-DNA presence and HBeAg positivity was observed in only 61·4% of cases. However HBV-DNA prevalence in sera of anti-HBe positive individuals was very low in asymptomatic carriers with normal ALT levels (2·5%). Higher values were observed in anti-HBe positive chronic patients (15·8%) and in carriers occasionally found with changes in ALT without any other clinical sign of illness (16·7%). These data would indicate that HBV-DNA is the serological marker which is most closely related to liver disease.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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