Comparison of three different hybridization assays in the quantitative measurement of serum hepatitis B virus DNA

The measurement of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, is important for monitoring and evaluating the efficacy of anti-viral agents in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B. Three different hybridization assays for quantitative measurement of HBV DNA: direct membrane (dot-blot hybridization, liquid hybridization (Abbott HBV DNA assay) and branched DNA signal amplification assay (Quantiplex(TM), Chiron), were applied to 114 Serial serum samples obtained from 13 patients with chronic active hepatitis B who had received ribavirin 600 mg daily for four weeks. Among the three assays, the correlation was found to be highest between Quantiplex and Abbott HBV DNA assay (r = 0.71, p < 0.01), moderate between Quantiplex and dot-blot hybridization (r = 0.58, p < 0.01) and lowest between dot-blot hybridization and Abbott HBV DNA assay (r = 0.27, p < 0.01). Quantiplex detected 107 (94%) of 114 specimens and was the most sensitive assay. All specimens positive by dot-blot hybridization and Abbott HBV DNA assays were detected positive by Quantiplex. The Dot-blot hybridization assay detected all 89 (100%) specimens with a high HBV DNA level(greater than or equal to 10 million genome equivalent (Meq)/ml by Quantiplex), but detected only 7 (50%) of 14 specimens with a low HBV DNA level (< 10 Meq/ml). The Abbott HBV DNA assay detected 85 (95%) of 89 specimens with a high HBV DNA level, but detected only 3 (17%) of 18 specimens with a low HBV DNA level. Among 7 negative specimens in the Quantiplex assay, 2 were detected positive by polymerase chain reaction. In conclusion, Quantiplex assay was more sensitive than Abbott HBV DNA assay and dot-blot hybridization assay for quantitative measurement of serum HBV DNA and can be used in the evaluation of the therapeutic drug effect on chronic hepatitis B patients.