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Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA
04:11

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA

Published on: December 15, 2023

Role of molecular diagnostics in the management of viral hepatitis B

Runu Chakravarty1

  • 1ICMR Virus Unit , GB 4, 1st Floor, ID & BG Hospital Campus, 57, Dr. Suresh Chandra Banerjee Road, Kolkata 700010 , India +91 33 2353 7425 ; +91 33 2353 7424 ; runugc@gmail.com.

Expert Opinion on Medical Diagnostics
|March 14, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Monitoring chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection relies on viral load, but newer molecular diagnostics are crucial for assessing disease severity, treatment response, and drug resistance, minimizing patient morbidity.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Virology
  • Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

  • Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affects 350-400 million globally, causing liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
  • Accurate diagnosis and classification are vital for determining appropriate therapy in HBV patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing and emerging molecular diagnostic and monitoring tools for chronic liver disease.
  • To highlight advancements in managing chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Main Methods:

  • Overview of recent data on molecular diagnostic and monitoring tools for chronic liver disease.
  • Analysis of HBV viral load, genotyping, and covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in disease management.

Main Results:

  • HBV viral load monitoring is key for assessing severity, predicting outcomes, guiding therapy, and detecting resistance.
  • Phenotyping/genotyping identifies antiviral resistance, while HBV genotype and mutants influence treatment efficacy.
  • The role of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in CHB management is increasingly recognized.

Conclusions:

  • Advanced molecular methods are essential for improved CHB management.
  • Further research into novel molecular diagnostics will reduce morbidity in CHB patients.
  • Integrating viral load, genotyping, and cccDNA assessment offers a comprehensive approach to CHB.
Abstract

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