[Clinical study on the relationships between HBV C gene promotor gene mutation and immunological marker, HBV DNA concentration]

Department of Virology, Hospital of Shandong Province, Jinan 250021, China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between HBV infected patients immunological marker, HBV DNA concentration, and clinical symptoms. METHODS: PCR-microplate nucleotide acid hybridization-ELISA and FQ-PCR methods were applied in the analysis of HBV BCP gene mutation and HBV DNA concentration in 246 HBV infected patients. RESULTS: In patients with HBsAg+/HBeAg+/anti-HBc+, HBsAg+/anti-HBeAb+/anti-HBcAb+, and HBsAg+/anti-HBc+, the HBV DNA positive rate were 97.9% (48/49), 22.9% (25/109), 31.1% (14/45) respectively, with the overall positive rate 42.85% (98/203). And the HBV BCP gene mutation rate were 59.1% (29/49), 11% (12/109), 13.3% (6/45) respectively, with the overall mutation rate 23.15% (47/203). In HBV BCP gene mutation group HBV DNA concentration of each specimen was more than 10(6) cps/ml, which are significantly higher than other groups(P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Re-evaluation of HBV infected patients with HBsAg+/anti-HBe+/anti-HBc+ and HBV BCP gene mutation is necessary. The immunological turnover of HBeAg indicates the immune clearance and rest of HBV only in part of HBV infected patients. The immunological marker should not be the sole factor upon which the HBV replication status, the diagnosis and prognosis of patients are determined.

PMID: 11436650 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]