Thakeb F, El-Serafy M, Zakaria S, Monir B, Lashin S, Marzaban R, El-Awady M. Evaluation of liver tissue by polymerase chain reaction for hepatitis B virus in patients with negative viremia.
World J Gastroenterol 2005;
11:6853-7. [PMID:
16425396 PMCID:
PMC4725047 DOI:
10.3748/wjg.v11.i43.6853]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM: To assess the clinical significance of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA localization in the liver tissue of patients with positive HBsAg and negative viremia.
METHODS: HBV virological parameters of 33 HBsAg positive chronic hepatitis patients, including seromarkers and HBV DNA amplification in both sera and liver biopsies, were evaluated.
RESULTS: Ten patients had negative viremia and positive HBV DNA in their liver biopsies. Most of them had HBeAg-negative/HBeAb-positive chronic hepatitis. Their liver biochemical and histopathological profiles were different from the viremic patients. Their disease pattern was designated as “hepatitis B in situ”.
CONCLUSION: Hepatitis B in situ is a consequential entity which can be missed in clinical practice. It is a new clinical pattern of chronic HBV infection that considers HBV in liver biopsy and adds a new indication for antiviral therapy.
Collapse