Detection and characterization of hepatitis B virus DNA in serum of HBe antigen-negative HBsAg carriers

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Abstract
Sera from 153 Israeli patients in various stages of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with undetectable hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) were studied for the presence of HBV DNA in the serum by molecular hybridization. HBV DNA was detected in 10 patients: 3 with acute hepatitis, 4 asymptomatic hepatits B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers, 1 with chronic active hepatitis, 1 with cirrhosis and 1 with mixed cryoglobulinemia. HBV DNA was detected in 7 of 10 HBeAg-positive control samples tested. Hybridization analysis was used for quantitative comparison of HBV DNA levels in serum. HBV DNA levels, found in HBeAg-negative patients sometimes exceeded the levels found in HBeAg-positive patients. Restriction enzyme analysis of serum HBV DNA from 4 HBeAg-negative samples gave undistinguishable digestion patterns as compared to 3 HBeAg-positive samples. Heterogeneity in HBV DNA restriction fragments was detected among HBV genomes in sera of HBe-Ag-positive samples Evidently, HBV DNA may be present in the serum at various stages of HBV infection, regardless of HBeAg detection. Failure to detect HBeAg in these patients does not necessarily reflect low serum levels of viral particles, or the concurrence of HBV genome variants.