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©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2014; 20(40): 14615-14625
Published online Oct 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i40.14615
Published online Oct 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i40.14615
Recent advances in molecular diagnostics of hepatitis B virus
Sibnarayan Datta, Vijay Veer, Molecular Virology Laboratory, Defence Research Laboratory, Assam, PIN 784001, India
Soumya Chatterjee, Vijay Veer, Biodegradation Technology Laboratory, Defence Research Laboratory, Assam, PIN 784001, India
Author contributions: Datta S and Chatterjee S reviewed the available literature and wrote the manuscript; Veer V critically revised the draft with significant intellectual inputs.
Supported by Defence Research and Development Organization, Ministry of Defence, Government of India
Correspondence to: Dr. Sibnarayan Datta, Scientist, Molecular Virology Laboratory, Defence Research Laboratory, Post bag No. 2, Tezpur, Assam, PIN-784001, India. sndatta1978@gmail.com
Telephone: +91-3712-258508 Fax: +91-3712-258534
Received: November 27, 2013
Revised: January 26, 2014
Accepted: June 2, 2014
Published online: October 28, 2014
Revised: January 26, 2014
Accepted: June 2, 2014
Published online: October 28, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: In the past decades, introduction of molecular biology tools such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has entirely revolutionized the field of hepatitis B virus (HBV) diagnosis by allowing sensitive and specific detection of the virus in body fluids. In the recent years a number of isothermal nucleic acid amplification have also evolved, that provide certain advantages over PCR. These isothermal amplification techniques are comparatively sensitive, specific, require less instrumentation and automation. This manuscript reviews the advantages/disadvantages of prevailing isothermal technologies to serve as an assay selection guide for the readers, working in the field of HBV molecular diagnostics.