Survey of the presence of HBV-DNA in HBeAb positive patients

Infection with hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide. The presence of HBeAg correlates with high infectivity in acute HBV infection. The presences of anti-HBe indicate suppression of viral replication and low infectivity of disease. But sometimes, the appearance of anti-HBe is followed by disappearing of HBeAg in the presence of detectable HBV-DNA in serum indicates active viral replication. This situation may be due to the presence of certain precore and core mutations in the HBV genome that alter the expression of HBeAg. The aim of this study was to detect HBV-DNA and viral load in HBeAb positive patients. We studied 50 sera of hepatitis B infected patients. Hepatitis B serological markers including HBsAg, HBeAg, HBeAb and HBcAb were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). HBV-DNA was extracted from serum samples. Then, PCR was carried out on the extracted HBV-DNA using specific primer for C gene. HBV viral load in serum was detected by Real-Time PCR. In this study both methods PCR and Real-Time PCR were performed. Liver enzymes levels ALT& AST were measured in patients by using Pars Azmoon kit and based on kit instruction. Of 50 HBV infected patients, all patients (100%) were positive HBsAg and anti-HBc and only 92 % of them were HBeAb positive. HBV-DNA was detected in 100% of patients. Of HBeAb positive patients, 36.7% of them had high viral load. The results of this study show that there is a spectrum of HBeAb positive patients had high viral load. Therefore, it is necessary that the possibility of the presence of precore and core mutations in these patients should be studied.