TY - JOUR
T1 - Occult hepatitis B viral DNA in liver carcinomas from a region with a low prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection
AU - Kannangai, R.
AU - Molmenti, E.
AU - Arrazola, L.
AU - Klein, A.
AU - Choti, M.
AU - Thomas, D. L.
AU - Torbenson, M.
AU - Torbenson, Michael
PY - 2004/7
Y1 - 2004/7
N2 - Occult hepatitis B is defined by the presence of hepatitis B viral (HBV) DNA in the serum or liver in persons lacking hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the serum. A high prevalence of occult HBV has been reported in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from Asia, but little information is available on the prevalence of occult HBV in HCC from regions with a low prevalence of typical chronic hepatitis B infection. In a retrospective study, 19 cases of primary liver cancer were investigated for the presence of occult HBV DNA by amplification of the surface, core, and X gene. In addition, HBV copy numbers were quantitated by real time polymerase chain reaction, genotyped, and samples tested for covalently closed circular HBV DNA, which is a marker of active viral replication. Occult HBV was found in three of 19 cases (16%). Genotyping was successful in two cases, both of which were genotype A. HBV DNA copy numbers were low, all less than 10 copies/μg liver DNA. No closed circular HBV DNA was detected. Thus, in this study occult HBV was of genotype A and was found in a low percentage of cases of HCC and was associated with low tissue HBV DNA copy numbers and no detectable evidence for viral replication.
AB - Occult hepatitis B is defined by the presence of hepatitis B viral (HBV) DNA in the serum or liver in persons lacking hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in the serum. A high prevalence of occult HBV has been reported in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from Asia, but little information is available on the prevalence of occult HBV in HCC from regions with a low prevalence of typical chronic hepatitis B infection. In a retrospective study, 19 cases of primary liver cancer were investigated for the presence of occult HBV DNA by amplification of the surface, core, and X gene. In addition, HBV copy numbers were quantitated by real time polymerase chain reaction, genotyped, and samples tested for covalently closed circular HBV DNA, which is a marker of active viral replication. Occult HBV was found in three of 19 cases (16%). Genotyping was successful in two cases, both of which were genotype A. HBV DNA copy numbers were low, all less than 10 copies/μg liver DNA. No closed circular HBV DNA was detected. Thus, in this study occult HBV was of genotype A and was found in a low percentage of cases of HCC and was associated with low tissue HBV DNA copy numbers and no detectable evidence for viral replication.
KW - Cholangiocarcinoma
KW - Hepatocellular carcinoma
KW - Occult hepatitis B
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=3242728453&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=3242728453&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2004.00502.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2004.00502.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 15230851
AN - SCOPUS:3242728453
SN - 1352-0504
VL - 11
SP - 297
EP - 301
JO - Journal of viral hepatitis
JF - Journal of viral hepatitis
IS - 4
ER -