Hepatitis B Virus DNA in Persons with Isolated Antibody to Hepatitis B Core Antigen Who Subsequently Received Hepatitis B Vaccine

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 895 - 897
• Main Authors: Silva, A. Eduardo, McMahon, Brian J., Parkinson, Alan J., Sjogren, Maria H., Hoofnagle, Jay H., Bisceglie, Adrian M. Di
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.04.1998; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Antibodies; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical Articles; DNA, Viral - analysis; Dosage; Dose response relationship; Hepatitis Antibodies - isolation & purification; Hepatitis antigens; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B Core Antigens - immunology; Hepatitis B vaccines; Hepatitis B Vaccines - immunology; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B virus - genetics; Hepatitis B virus - immunology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Polymerase chain reaction; Vaccination; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Human; Correlation; Hepatitis B core antigen; Antibody; Vaccination; Biological marker; Hepatic disease; Serology; Infection; Viral hepatitis B; Immunoprophylaxis; Viral disease; Digestive diseases; DNA virus; Comparative study
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/513918

Serum samples from 133 persons who were positive only for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) were retested for seromarkers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) by radioimmunoassay and for HBV DNA by polymerase chain reaction analysis. All persons were subsequently vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine. HBV DNA was found in only five persons, four of whom remained positive during retesting. Most persons had a primary antibody response with three doses of hepatitis B vaccine. Evidence of HBV DNA was not detected in 96% of persons with isolated anti-HBc by EIA.