[Detection of the DNA of hepatitis B virus in liver biopsies of chronic carriers of HBsAg]

[Article in Spanish]

Bartolomé Nebreda FJ, Castillo Aguilar I, Bas Pérez C, Mora Pérez I, Porres Cubero JC, Carreño García V.

We have detected the presence and the morfological states of HBV-DNA in liver biopsies of 44 chronic AgHBs carriers (24 positive AgHBs, 17 positive anti-HBe, and 3 aymptomatic carriers). Positive AgHBe patients mainly had cytoplasmatic free froms of HBV-DNA (71%) while in patients with positive anti-HBe most of the viral DNA was integrated in the host cell genome. Those patients with integrated HBV-DNA had longer clinical course of the disease. These morfological states of hepatocyte viral DNA do not affect the pathological lesion nor the presence of anti-HD does not influence the existence and the morfological state of HBV-DNA in the liver.