Use of the polymerase chain reaction to demonstrate hepatitis B virus DNA in serum of children with chronic hepatitis B.

Wirth, S; Möllers, U; Keller, K M; Winterpacht, A · J Pediatr · 1992

case_series · Level IV

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Abstract

The polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate the presence of hepatitis B virus DNA in sera of 61 children with chronic hepatitis B and negative results on dot blot hybridization tests. Our results demonstrate that most chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen in childhood have hepatitis B virus DNA detectable by polymerase chain reaction in their serum and must be considered infectious.

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