[Comparison between hepatitis B virus core antigen (AgHBc) determination and DNA polymerase activity as markers of virus replication]

[Article in Spanish]

 Quiroga JA, Carreño V, Porres JC, Mora I, Gútiez J, Hernández Guío C.

AgHBc has been used as a marker of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. In this study, its occurrence in serum from patients chronically infected with HBV has been compared with HBV-DNAp activity evaluation. One-hundred and twenty-five chronic carriers of AgHBs were included. Out of those, 85 were AgHBe positive and 40 anti.-HBe. AgHBc was assessed by radioimmunoassay and HBV-DNAp by ultracentrifugation. AgHBc was detected in 96% of HBV-DNAp patients; looking at those cases which were HBV-DNAp negative, it was found in 30% of AgHBe and in 20% of anti-HBe. S:N AgHBc positivity relation was significantly higher in HBV-DNAp patients (p<0,005). A significant (p<0,001) lineal correlation was established between both markers. In the absence of HBV markers it was not possible to detect AgHBc. The occurrence of  AgHBc was frequently associated with a histologically active lesion. In conclusion, AgHBc is a virus replication marker, which allows the assessment of infectivity in patients seroconverted to anti-HBe.