Diagnostic significance of antibodies to hepatitis B virus polymerase in acutely and chronically HBV-infected individuals

✍ Scribed by Michael Kann; Heinrich G. Köchel; Angela Uy; Reiner Thomssen

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 766 KB
• Volume: 40
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.1890400406

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The prevalence and time course of the occurrence of antibodies to the hepatitis B virus polymerase (anti‐HBpol) were investigated in acutely and in chronically HBV‐infected individuals by using recombinant HBpol protein for Western blot analysis. One group consisted of 19 patients who were acutely infected and recovered completely. Five of these patients (26%, 69 serum samples examined) exhibited anti‐HBpol. Among those anti‐HBpol positive patients, recovery from the disease was combined with a complete loss of this antibody. In contrast, in a second group of 15 individuals who developed chronic hepatitis B, 13 (87%, 102 serum samples examined) had anti‐HBpol during the acute phase of the disease. The difference between the anti‐HBpol prevalence rates of the two patient groups is statistically significant (Exact Fisher test, P < .002), implying that the occurrence of anti‐HBpol may be indicative of a potential chronic course of hepatitis B. Remarkably, anti‐HBpol was found in one case of a clinically suspected hepatitis B in which no other serological HBV parameters were found. This serum sample was positive in HBV PCR, supporting a possible diagnostic value of anti‐HBpol. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.