HBeAg/anti-HBe, alanine aminotransferase and HBV DNA

Serum samples from a total of 72 chronic hepatitis B virus carriers were analysed by serological, biochemical and molecular assays. The aim was to evaluate the relationship of the serological and biochemical parameters with molecular markers in order to assess the infectivity of virus. Out of 72 chronic HBsAg positive carriers, 28 patients were HBeAg positive and anti-HBe negative, 38 patients were HBeAg negative and anti-HBe positive, only 3 patients were positive for both HBeAg and anti-HBe and the rest 3 patients were negative for both markers. Detectable HBV DNA level was found in 92.86% HBsAg-positive/anti-HBe negative patients along with raised alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level (67.86%)  compared with  HBeAg-negative/anti-HBe positive carriers (36.84%) (p value = 0.02) and out a total of 38 HBeAg-negative/anti-HBe positive carriers, 12 (31.58%) patients had detectable level of HBV DNA. Among the 14 HBeAg-negative/anti-HBe positive patients with elevated ALT level, 8 (57.14%) had detectable HBV DNA whereas out of 24 HBeAg-negative/anti-HBe positive patients with normal ALT level only 4 (16.66%) had detectable HBV DNA level. Significantly high rate of detection of HBV DNA was seen among anti-HBe positive patients with raised ALT level compared with the patients  with normal ALT level (p value = 0.01)