Hepatitis B Virus Serum DNA andRNA Levels in Nucleos(t)ide Analog-Treated or Untreated Patients During Chronic and Acute Infection.

Treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) suppresses hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA synthesis but does not affect synthesis of HBV pregenomic RNA (pgRNA). Hepatitis B virus pgRNA is detectable in the serum during NA treatment and has been proposed as a marker of HBV covalently closed circular DNA activity within the infected hepatocyte. We developed an automated assay for the quantification of serum HBV pgRNA using a dual-target real-time quantitative PCR approach on the Abbott m2000sp/rt system.

Screening for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus at a community fair: a single-center experience.

Despite recommendations for screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), most individuals are still unaware of their infection status. The disparities in screening for HBV and HCV can be attributed to lack of awareness, language barriers, and difficulty in accessing healthcare. To address these issues, an exhibit booth was set up at an annual cultural festival to promote awareness about HBV and HCV and also provide free screening for a local Floridian community.

Comparison of detection and quantification of HBV DNA in chronic HBeAg negative and positive patients by Abbott RealTime HBV and Roche Cobas TaqMan HBV assays.

Monitoring the serum hepatitis B viral DNA levels with sensitive realtime PCR assays is strongly recommended for the management of patients with chronic HBV infection. This study compares the performance of two realtime HBV quantitative PCR assays with samples from chronic HBeAg(+) and HBeAg(-) patients.

Absence of Hepatitis B Resistance Mutants before Introduction of Oral Antiviral Therapy.

Introduction. The aim of this study was to assess whether hepatitis B virus drug resistant mutations antedated the widespread use of nucleos(t)ide analogues in treatment naïve patients. A number of reports have suggested that drug resistant mutants can be detected in apparently treatment naïve patients.

High frequency of genotype D and spontaneous hepatitis B virus genomic mutations among Haitians in a multiethnic North American population.

Goals/background: The importance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype and mutations has been increasingly recognized. We aimed to determine HBV genotype, precore (PC), and basal core promoter region (BCP) mutations in a HBV multiethnic South Florida population.

Study: Samples from 213 patients were tested for HBV-DNA using Abbott RealTime HBV IUO assay, and for mutations using INNO-LiPA assay.

Improved detection of hepatitis C virus infection by transcription-mediated amplification technology in dialysis population.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains common among patients undergoing maintenance dialysis and plays an adverse effect on survival in this population. Accurate detection of HCV viremia (HCV RNA) in dialysis patients requires a sensitive and specific diagnostic test.

Methods: The Versant HCV RNA Qualitative Assay, based on transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) technique, was prospectively evaluated in 112 dialysis patients.

Correlation of Laparoscopic Liver Biopsy to Elasticity Measurements (FibroScan) in Patients With Chronic Liver Disease.

Background: Elastography is a noninvasive method to assess liver fibrosis by measuring liver stiffness. Studies have compared elas-tography to percutaneous biopsy. Laparoscopic biopsy is associated with decreased sampling error compared to percutaneous biopsy, as laparoscopic biopsies are obtained from both liver lobes and gross nodu-larity can be visualized.

Prospective Evaluation of FIBROSpect II for Fibrosis Detection in Hepatitis C and B Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Biopsy.

Serum markers of liver fibrosis are difficult to validate, due to the sampling error and observer variability associated with percutaneous liver biopsies. Laparoscopic biopsy decreases sampling error and increases the reliability of histopathologic assessment. We prospectively evaluated the FIBROSpect(SM) II serum marker test for viral liver fibrosis against laparoscopic biopsies by studying 145 patients with chronic hepatitis B or C who underwent laparoscopy in a tertiary care setting.

Does the heterozygous state of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency have a role in chronic liver diseases? Interim results of a large case-control study.

Background: The role of the heterozygous PiZ state of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (alpha1ATD) in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease (LD) is still a matter of controversy.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of alpha1ATD heterozygote states in a large population of patients with established LD compared with individuals with no LD, and to determine whether the prevalence of PiZ is increased in patients with more severe LD.

Methods: A cross sectional case-control study among patients with and without LD.

Multicenter evaluation of the Bayer ADVIA Centaur HIV 1/O/2 enhanced (EHIV) assay.

Background: It is important that serological assays detect antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in all infected individuals, including those infected with less prevalent, more diverse subtypes.

Methods: Performance of the ADVIA Centaur HIV 1/O/2 Enhanced (EHIV) Assay was tested on 1344 samples from HIV-positive subjects, 6061 samples from groups at low-risk for HIV infection, and 1042 samples from groups at high-risk for HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. Results were compared with those of an FDA-approved predicate assay.

Treatment of established recurrent hepatitis C in liver-transplant recipients with pegylated interferon-alfa-2b and ribavirin therapy.

Introduction: The management issues of transplant patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are complex, and interferon therapy is often ineffective. We present data from a retrospective review in liver-transplant recipients suffering from HCV recurrence that were treated with pegylated alpha-2b interferon and ribavirin.

Methods: A retrospective review of transplant recipients that received combination pegylated alpha-2b interferon (1.

Outcomes in liver transplant recipients with hepatitis B virus: resistance and recurrence patterns from a large transplant center over the last decade.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence following liver transplantation (LTx) has been controllable primarily with the use of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIg) and lamivudine (LAM). However, HBV resistance to LAM and/or HBIg has become an increasing problem prompting the use of newer antiviral agents. The purpose of our study was to investigate the association between therapy, HBV breakthrough, and allograft / patient survival in HBV-positive liver transplant recipients.

Prediction of sustained virological response in liver transplant recipients with recurrent hepatitis C virus following combination pegylated interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin therapy using tissue hepatitis C virus reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction testing.

The optimal duration of therapy for pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin in recurrent Hepatitis C virus (HCV) following liver transplantation is not known. We wanted to determine if testing for HCV in liver tissue by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was superior in predicting sustained virological response (SVR) in comparison to standard HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) detection in the serum. All recipients received combination pegylated alpha-2b interferon (1.

Successful HCV genotyping of previously failed and low viral load specimens using an HCV RNA qualitative assay based on transcription-mediated amplification in conjunction with the line probe assay.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotyping is a critical part of the diagnostic work-up for chronic hepatitis C. The VERSANT HCV line probe assay (LiPA) marketed by Bayer Corporation requires PCR-derived amplicons for genotyping usually obtained from commercial assays, including Amplicor HCV 2.0 (Amplicor 2.

Comparison of three commercially available assays for HCV RNA using the international unit standard: implications for management of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection in clinical practice.

Objectives: The present study was performed to evaluate the impact of the international unit standard for measuring HCV RNA in the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods: The three assays used were Amplicor Monitor PCR, the National Genetics Institute PCR assay, and branched chain DNA. HCV RNA was measured at four time points (baseline, 3 months after the start of therapy, at the end of treatment, and 6 months after discontinuation of therapy) in 106 consecutive patients who received interferon and ribavirin for chronic HCV.