Rapid, random-access, and quantification of hepatitis B virus using the Cepheid Xpert HBV viral load assay.

Background: Monitoring viral load (VL) is an essential part of the management of patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The commercial HBV VL assays currently available are generally performed on high-throughput platforms for batch wise testing of plasma samples, with relatively long turn-around-times. Rapid VL testing could provide immediate input to clinical decision making.