Clinical significance of HBV-DNA quantity detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR

Objective:To approach the clinical value of hepatitis B virus(HBV) quantity detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RFQ-PCR)in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HBV infection.Methods:The serum samples from 180 hepatitis patients and 56 blood donors were tested by RFQ-PCR and ELISA simultaneously, and the results were compaired and analyzed.Results:In the first group with HBsAg+,HBeAg+,HBcAb+ samples, the positive rate of HBV-DNA was 100.00%(95/95),which was significantly higher than that in any other group(P0.05), and the mean load of HBV-DNA was 4.8×10 7copies·ml -1 .In the second group with HBsAg+, HBeAb+, HBcAb+ samples, the positive rate of HBV-DNA was lower(P0.01),but there was no significant difference of the mean load of HBV-DNA between the first and the second group(P0.05).In the group with HBsAg+ and the group with HBsAb+, the positive rate was 53.85%,33.33% and the mean load was 5.6×10 5copies·ml -1 、3.8×10 4copies·ml -1 ,respectively. In 56 cases of blood donors,there were still 3 cases with HBV-DNA positive, but the mean load of HBV-DNA was much lower than that in any other group.Conclusions:The results showed RFQ-PCR is more sensitive and specific than ELISA, and it can be used as a good monitor for the state of HBV infection and its complication.