乙肝患者血清的HBV-DNA含量与ALT水平的关系研究

目的:探讨和研究乙型肝炎患者乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)DNA复制水平与丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)水平之间的关系,为临床中乙肝患者的诊治提供参考。方法:对240例慢性乙型肝炎患者采用荧光标记定量PCR方法测定血清HBV-DNA含量,采用全自动生化分析仪测定血清ALT水平,比较和分析HBV-DNA含量与ALT水平之间的关系。结果:慢性乙肝轻、中、重度患者的HBV-DNA含量三组之间差异有统计学意义(p0.01),肝脏的损害程度与HBV-DNA含量之间具有一定的关联,等级相关系数为0.162(P=0.012);ALT水平也与HBV-DNA载量之间存在关联,等级相关系数为0.371(P0.0001)。结论:肝损伤程度与HBV-DNA含量有显著相关性;同时血清ALT水平与HBV-DNA含量呈正相关。检测血清中的HBV-DNA含量和ALT水平为指导乙肝患者HBV感染、复制、传染性的判断、治疗方案的选择和疗效评定提供有一定的依据。     

乙型肝炎患者凝血功能与胱抑素C 联合检测的临床意义

目的:探讨乙型肝炎患者凝血功能与血清胱抑素C联合检测的临床诊断价值。方法:收集260例乙型肝炎患者为实验组及健康者70例为对照组,采用全自动凝血分析仪进行活化部分凝血酶时间(APTT)、凝血酶原时间(PT)、纤维蛋白原(FIB)的测定,采用全自动生化分析仪进行血清胱抑素C、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、血清γ谷氨酰转肽酶(GGT)的检测。结果:除急性肝炎组外,其他各组乙型肝炎患者的APTT、PT值均高于对照组(P<0.05)。重型肝炎和肝炎肝硬化组FIB值均低于对照组(P<0.05);对于血清胱抑素C水平,除急性肝炎组外,其他各组值均明显高于健康对照组(P<0.05),且肝炎肝硬化组依次高于重型肝炎组和慢性肝炎组。各实验组ALT和AST水平均明显高于对照组(P<0.05),而对于GGT水平,重型肝炎组和肝炎肝硬化组明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:联合检测APTT、PT、FIB凝血功能指标与血清胱抑素C水平,对临床判断乙型肝炎患者病变程度及预后具有重要意义。     

DNA疫苗预敏蛋白疫苗增强策略对乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原蛋白免疫应答的影响

目的:观察核酸疫苗预敏,乙型肝炎病毒HBsAg蛋白疫苗增强的免疫对Balb/c小鼠免疫应答的影响.方法:以TransfectionTM脂质体将乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原中蛋白(MHBs)核酸疫苗pSW3891/MHBs/adr(简称为adr),及空载体pSW3891(简称vector)体外转染293T细胞.免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测adr,vector的体外表达;动物体内研究选用Balb/c小鼠共18只,每组6只,编号后随机分为3组,即空载体质粒组(vector+vector组)、adr核酸疫苗+HBsAg蛋白疫苗(adr+protein组)、HBsAg蛋白疫苗+HBsAg蛋白疫苗(Protein+Protein组);于第0周肌肉注射法分别以vector、adr及HBsAg蛋白疫苗免疫小鼠,于第4周肌内注射法分剐以vector、HBsAg蛋白疫苗、及HBsAg蛋白疫苗免疫小鼠.采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检测小鼠血清HBsAg特异性抗体、酶联免疫斑点(ELISPOT)法检测小鼠脾细胞HBsAg多肽特异性IFN-γ分泌细胞.结果:adr体外转染293T细胞后,能够表达乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原中蛋白(MHBs);体内研究结果显示:除vector+vector组外,adr+protein组、Protein+Protein组小鼠均能检出血清抗-HBs,Protein+Protein组抗-HBs终点滴度比adr+protein组高,但无统计学意义;三组中vector+vector组没有检测到特异性INF-γ分泌的脾细胞,而adr+protein组、Protein+Protein组小鼠均能检出,且adr+protein组特异性细胞数量显著高于protein+protein组(P＜0.001),具有统计学意义.结论:乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原中蛋白(MHBs)核酸疫苗预敏.能明显增强Balb/c小鼠对乙型肝炎HBsAg蛋白疫苗细胞免疫应答水平.     

抗原抗体复合物型治疗性疫苗(乙克)临床研究中患者血清乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原下降的分析与启示

近年来全球慢性乙型肝炎(chronic hepatitis B,CHB)防治指南提出了“功能性治愈”(functional cure)的概念,即患者经过治疗达到血清乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原(hepatitis B virus surface antigen,HBsAg)消失,但现有抗病毒治疗很难实现这一目标。本研究对既往临床试验中经抗原抗体复合物型治疗性疫苗(乙克)治疗后的CHB患者HBsAg下降情况进行了归纳分析,结果显示,经乙克治疗随访后达到乙型肝炎e抗原(hepatitis B e antigen,HBeAg)血清学转换者的HBsAg下降高达0.95log₁₀IU/mL,显著高于未达到HBeAg血清学转换者的0.32log₁₀IU/mL(P<0.01),而经氢氧化铝佐剂治疗随访后发生HBeAg血清学转换(0.49log₁₀IU/mL)者与未发生HBeAg血清学转换者(0.36log₁₀IU/mL)之间HBsAg下降无统计学差异。乙克组治疗过程中,丙氨酸氨基转移酶(alanine aminotransferase,ALT)骤升(ALT flare)在HBsAg下降>1.0log₁₀IU/mL者中较多见,氢氧化铝组未观察到此现象。回归分析显示,乙克治疗后HBsAg下降的影响因素有患者出现HBeAg血清学转换、感染的HBV为B基因型、治疗过程中ALT出现10倍增高,以及基线血清HBsAg为高水平。结果提示,乙克诱导的特异性免疫对降低CHB患者血清HBsAg水平有一定效果,采用“抗病毒药物治疗＋针对HBsAg的中和性抗体被动免疫＋乙克主动免疫”的“三明治”治疗策略可能会提高“功能性治愈”率。     

乙肝病毒载量与血清标志物及ALT相关性研究

探讨了乙型肝炎病毒核酸(HBV-DNA)水平与乙型肝炎免疫标志物(HBVM)和丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)的关系。分别采用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(FQ-PCR),酶联免疫法和连续监测法检测了345例血清标本HBV-DNA含量,HBVM(HBsAg、HBsAb、HBeAg、HBeAb、抗HBcIgM)表达及ALT水平。HBsAg、HBeAg(和抗HBcIgM)阳性患者HBV DNA阳性率要明显高于HBsAg、HBeAb(和抗HBcIgM)阳性患者、仅HBsAg阳性患者及HBsAb、HBeAb阳性患者(P<0.01)。血清HBeAg阳性标本HBV-DNA阳性率为98.7%,明显高于HBeAg阴性标本的61.6%(P<0.01),并且血清HBeAg阳性标本HBV-DNA含量(log值,7.42±1.43)也明显高于HBeAg阴性标本(4.36±1.73)(P<0.01);在HBV-DNA含量小于107copy/mL的标本中,ALT与HBV-DNA含量呈正相关(P<0.01)。血清中HBV DNA含量与乙型肝炎免疫标志物以及肝细胞损伤三者之间存在密切的关系,在临床工作中应对血清HBVM、ALT和HBV-DNA含量联合检测,这样才能更准确地判断患者病情、预后及指导抗病毒药物的应用。     

乙型肝炎患者体液免疫功能、肝纤维化指标及α1-MG、TGF-β1水平分析

目的:探讨乙型肝炎患者体液免疫功能、肝纤维化程度及血清中α1-MG、TGF-β1水平的变化。方法:选取2016年1月~2018年10月我院收治的轻度乙型肝炎患者60例为轻度组,重度乙型肝炎患者60例为重度组及同期来我院体检的健康志愿者60例为对照组。检测并比较三组患者血清中补体C3、补体C4、肝纤维化指标及α1-微球蛋白(α1-MG)、转化生长因子-β1(TGF-β1)水平。结果:乙型肝炎患者血清中补体C3及补体C4水平明显低于对照组;重度组患者血清中补体C3及补体C4水平明显低于轻度组患者(P<0.05)。乙型肝炎患者血清中各肝纤维化指标水平明显高于对照组;重度组患者血清中各肝纤维化指标水平明显高于轻度组患者(P<0.05)。乙型肝炎患者血清中α1-MG水平明显低于对照组,TGF-β1水平明显高于对照组;重度组患者血清中α1-MG水平明显低于轻度组,TGF-β1水平明显高于轻度组(P<0.05)。结论:乙型肝炎病毒感染可导致患者免疫功能水平下降,肝脏纤维化及细胞因子水平紊乱,且上述指标水平的变化与疾病进展程度密切相关,临床治疗时需加强对上述指标的监测。     

重组HBsAg疫苗辅以CpG ODN对转基因小鼠的免疫治疗效果

目的利用免疫耐受的乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)转基因(Transgenic mice,Tg)小鼠模型,研究重组HBsAg疫苗辅以CpG ODN的免疫治疗效果,为HBV的临床免疫治疗提供思路和依据.方法重组HBsAg疫苗单独或辅以CpG ODN,同时设干扰素(IFN)药物组和生理盐水(NS)照组,多次免疫治疗HBV转基因小鼠,于免疫前和末次免疫后2周、4周眼球后静脉丛取血,动态观察各组小鼠血清中HBsAg量、HBsAg阴转率、Anti-HBs阳性率和HBVDNA拷贝数的变化.在治疗后应用HE染色观察各组小鼠肝组织病变活动度以及SP组化法观察活肝组织中HBsAg表达量的改变.结果在免疫治疗后2周,HBsAg疫苗组和HBsAg CpG组血清中的HBsAg量较免疫前和同期的IFN组、NS组均有明显降低(P＜0.05),并且到4周时降低作用依然很明显;免疫治疗后2周时两组100%出现Anti-HBs抗体;HBsAg CpG组治疗后2周血清HBsAg有1只转阴,4周时阴转数增加到3只.其他三组中均无阴转;免疫治疗后2周至4周HBsAg CpG组的小鼠HBV DNA的拷贝数可降低1～2个数量级,IFN组2周部分出现轻微降低但到4周时出现回升;HBsAg CpG组肝组织中HBsAg量的表达均出现不同程度的降低;病理学检测显示HBsAg CpG组肝组织中浸润大量淋巴细胞,可见恢复期的肝小叶.肝组织病变活动度情况为HBsAg CpG组＞HBsAg组＞IFN组、NS组.结论CpG ODN增强重组HBsAg疫苗对HBV转基因小鼠的免疫治疗效果.重组HBsAg疫苗辅以CpG ODN可作为临床上免疫治疗慢性HBV感染的可行性途经.     

慢性乙型肝炎患者TBIL、ALT、γ GT、 TBA水平变化及肠道菌群分析

目的研究慢性乙型肝炎患者总胆红素(TBIL)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、γ-谷氨酰转肽酶(γ-GT)、总胆汁酸(TBA)水平及肠道菌群变化。方法选取2017年10月至2018年10月我院收治的慢性乙型肝炎患者80例为观察组,选取同期来我院进行体检的100例健康者为对照组,对比两组对象肝功能指标、血清炎性因子水平和肠道菌群数量。结果观察组患者血清TBIL、ALT、TBA和γ-GT水平显著高于对照组(均P0.05)。观察组患者血清CRP、TNF-α和IL-6水平显著高于对照组(均P0.05)。观察组患者肠道肠杆菌科、普雷沃菌属、拟杆菌属、梭菌属细菌及白假丝酵母数量显著高于对照组(均P0.05)。两组对象肠道瘤胃球菌属、双歧杆菌属、乳杆菌属细菌及粪肠球菌数量差异无统计学意义(均P0.05)。结论慢性乙型肝炎患者TBIL、ALT、γ-GT、TBA水平高于健康人群,炎性因子水平也高于正常人群,且存在一定程度的肠道菌群失调。提示肠道菌群结构变化可能对肝脏组织产生一定的损伤。     

血清胱抑素C 与乙型肝炎性肝硬化肝功能损害程度的相关性分析

目的:探讨血清胱抑素C(Cys C)与乙型肝炎性肝硬化患者肝功能损伤程度的相关性分析。方法:将98例乙型肝炎性肝硬化患者按照肝功能分级的Child-Pugh评分将分为A组(Child A级,n=45例)、B组(Child B级,n=33例)、C组(Child C级,n=20例),同期选取本院门诊正常健康体检者为对照组,检测所有受试者的血清Cys C水平,比较各种之间相关指标的差异。结果:A组、B组、C组、对照组丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸转移酶(AST)、血清白蛋白(ALB)、血清Cys C及血清Cys C阳性率均有统计学差异(P0.05),C组血清Cys C、血清Cys C阳性率高于对照组(P0.05)、A组、B组,而B组高于对照组、A组(P0.05);血清Cys C阳性组与阴性组中含有Child A级、Child B级、Child C级患者的构成比具有统计学意义(P0.05),Cys C阳性组中的Child C级患者比例高于阴性组(P0.05);血清Cys C与Child-Pugh评分呈正相关(P0.05);Child-Pugh评分、ALT、AST与患者血清Cys C阳性呈正相关(P0.05);而ALB则与其呈负相关(P0.05);结论:乙型肝炎性肝硬化患者血清Cys C水平与肝功能损伤程度呈一定相关性,早期检测血清Cys C水平对于评估乙型肝炎性肝硬化患者的肝功能损害具有一定的临床意义。     

替诺福韦治疗慢性乙型肝炎的疗效及对血清HA、LN、IV-C、PC-III的影响

摘要 目的：探讨替诺福韦治疗慢性乙型肝炎的疗效及对血清透明质酸（HA）、层粘连蛋白（LN）、IV型胶原蛋白（IV-C）、Ⅲ型前胶原肽（PC-III）的影响。方法：选择2018年1月到2020年1月在我院进行治疗的101例慢性乙型肝炎患者进行研究，采用随机数表法分为试验组（n=51）和对照组（n=50）。对照组给予恩替卡韦治疗，试验组给予替诺福韦治疗。比较两组临床疗效、血清HA、LN、IV-C、PC-III、HBV-DNA、乙肝表面抗原（HBsAg）、丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）水平变化情况及药物不良反应发生情况。结果：治疗后，两组总有效率比较差异显著（P<0.05）；与治疗前比较，试验组和对照组血清HA、LN、IV-C、PC-III水平检验结果比较无显著差异；治疗后，试验组和对照组血清HA、LN、IV-C、PC-III水平均随着时间的推移而降低，且试验组低低于对照组，差异显著（P<0.05）；与治疗前比较，试验组和对照组血清HBV-DNA、HBsAg水平检验结果比较无显著差异；治疗后，试验组和对照组血清HBV-DNA、HBsAg水平均随着时间的推移而下降，且试验组低于对照组，差异显著（P<0.05）；与治疗前比较，试验组和对照组血清ALT、AST水平检验结果比较无显著差异；治疗后，试验组和对照组血清ALT、AST水平均随着时间的推移而降低，且试验组低低于对照组，差异显著（P<0.05）；两组不良反应总发生率分别为7.84%、10.00%（P>0.05）。结论：慢性乙型肝炎采用替诺福韦效果显著，可能与其可有效改善血清THA、LN、IV-C、PC-III水平有关。     

Clinical aspects of delta infection.

The clinical features of delta infection were analysed retrospectively in 191 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and 592 cases of acute hepatitis B seen over 11 years in the Swedish town of Malmö (population 250 000). With a few exceptions delta infections occurred exclusively in drug addicts. In the chronic HBsAg-carriers the most common clinical manifestation was an episode of acute hepatitis, which in some individuals became severe with a pronounced rise in serum alanine aminotransferase activity for many months. During the period of delta infection the HBsAg titre was lowered and in three out of 26 cases the patient lost HBsAg altogether and developed hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs). In one patient the acute hepatitis due to delta infection was fulminant and fatal. In patients with acute hepatitis B the clinical picture did not distinguish between those with and without simultaneous delta infection. The frequency with which acute hepatitis B was succeeded by a chronic carrier state was the same whether or not the patient was infected simultaneously with the delta agent. The discovery of the delta agent has improved understanding of the natural history of chronic hepatitis B infection in drug addicts. Thus, instances of acute hepatitis in a chronic carrier, previously termed hepatitis non-A, non-B, may actually be episodes of delta infection.     

Hepatitis B virus-reactive human T lymphocyte clones: antigen specificity and helper function for antibody synthesis

To study immunity to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) at the cellular level, lymphocytes were obtained from the peripheral blood of hepatitis B vaccine recipients and were examined for various immune responses to HBsAg in vitro. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) from most of the vaccinees did not proliferate to a great extent to HBsAg in vitro. However, HBsAg-reactive lymphocyte lines and clones were obtained from some of these individuals if the PBM were stimulated in vitro with HBsAg and were maintained in the presence of T cell growth supplement. Most of the HBsAg-reactive T cell clones obtained were found to be antigen-specific and some of them provided help in the production of anti-HBsAg antibodies by a cell population enriched for HBsAg-binding cells. These results indicate that HBsAg-specific T and B cells exist in the circulation of hepatitis B vaccine recipients, although they are at limiting concentrations for the in vitro cell proliferation and antibody production assays.     

Detection of core antibody in hepatitis B infection.

Hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) is found on the decoated Dane particle and on a morphologically similar particle detected mainly in the nucleus of hepatocytes of patients with hepatitis B. HBcAg prepared from the liver of a chimpanzee infected with hepatitis B virus was used to test human serum for core antibody (anti-HBc) by complement fixation. Anti-HBc was found in serum collected from patients with hepatitis B in both the acute and convalescent stages, from carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and from patients with chronic liver or renal disease who were carriers of HBsAg. It was not found in patients with hepatitis A or infectious mononucleosis, or in healthy persons who were not carriers of HBsAg.     

IgM antibody against hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc): diagnostic and prognostic significance in acute HBsAg positive hepatitis.

IgM antibody against hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc), a marker of recent hepatitis B virus infection, was sought by radioimmunoassay in sera diluted 1/4000 from 376 patients presenting to four centres in Italy with acute, apparently type B hepatitis (hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive). In 320 patients (85%) a positive IgM anti-HBc test result confirmed that hepatitis was due to primary infection with hepatitis B virus. In the remaining 56 patients absence of the IgM marker indicated that they were previously unrecognised long term carriers of HBsAg. Further serum analysis often showed delta infection and occasionally hepatitis A or cytomegalovirus infection as the true cause of their illness. After six to eight months circulating HBsAg persisted in 38 of 45 patients (84%) without IgM anti-HBc but in only six of 150 patients (4%) with the IgM antibody (p less than 0.0001). A negative IgM anti-HBc test result in patients with acute HBsAg positive hepatitis points to a factor other than hepatitis B virus as the cause of the liver damage and predicts the carriage of HBsAg.     

HBsAg-positive chronic liver disease: inhibition of DNA polymerase activity by vidarabine.

Four patients who had chronic liver disease and were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were treated with vidarabine, a synthetic purine nucleoside that inhibits DNA polymerase activity in vitro and in vivo. Before treatment all had raised serum DNA polymerase concentrations. Three also had hepatitis B e (HBe) and were shown by electron microscopy to have hepatitis B virus (Dane) particles in their serum. In all patients 10 days'' treatment with vidarabine resulted in an immediate loss of DNA polymerase activity. In three patients the activity returned when treatment was stopped. In those three patients Dane particles and HBe antigen persisted during and after treatment; in the fourth patient, who remained negative for DNA polymerase, HBsAg titres fell. Although vidarabine inhibited virus replication, virus particles did not disappear from the blood in these patients, presumably because the particles were cleared only slowly. Similar results with interferon suggest that the virus disappears, and HBsAg titres fall, some weeks after the fall in DNA polymerase activity. Continued treatment may therefore have a sustained effect on viral replication. Whether vidarabine can permanently clear HBsAg and so arrest chronic liver disease remains to be seen, but at the very least it could reduce the spread of infection.     

High Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Levels Predict Insignificant Fibrosis in Hepatitis B e Antigen Positive Chronic Hepatitis B

Introduction

There is no data on the relationship between hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels and liver fibrosis in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Methods

Serum HBsAg and HBV DNA levels in HBeAg-positive CHB patients with liver biopsies were analyzed. The upper limit of normal (ULN) of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was 30 and 19 U/L for men and women respectively. Histologic assessment was based on Ishak fibrosis staging for fibrosis and Knodell histologic activity index (HAI) for necroinflammation.

Results

140 patients (65% male, median age 32.7 years) were recruited. 56 (40%) had ALT ≤2×ULN. 72 (51.4%) and 42 (30%) had fibrosis score ≤1 and necroinflammation grading ≤4 respectively. Patients with fibrosis score ≤1, when compared to patients with fibrosis score >1, had significantly higher median HBsAg levels (50,320 and 7,820 IU/mL respectively, p<0.001). Among patients with ALT ≤2×ULN, serum HBsAg levels achieved an area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.869 in predicting fibrosis score ≤1. HBsAg levels did not accurately predict necroinflammation score. HBsAg ≥25,000 IU/mL was independently associated with fibrosis score ≤1 (p = 0.025, odds ratio 9.042).Using this cut-off HBsAg level in patients with ALT ≤2×ULN, positive and negative predictive values for predicting fibrosis score ≤1 were 92.7% and 60.0% respectively. HBV DNA levels had no association with liver histology.

Conclusion

Among HBeAg-positive patients with ALT ≤2×ULN, high serum HBsAg levels can accurately predict fibrosis score ≤1, and could potentially influence decisions concerning treatment commencement and reduce the need for liver biopsy.     

A seroepidemiologic study of hepatitis B virus infection among barbers in Huangshi City, Hubei, China

Between March and August 1986 in Huangshi City, serum samples were collected from 316 apparently healthy barbers as a study group, as well as from 361 healthy employees of department stores as a control group. They were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assays. Barbers showed a prevalence higher than that in controls for HBsAg (16.8 vs. 9.2%, P less than 0.01), anti-HBs (67.1 vs. 45.9%, P less than 0.001), and anti-HBc (39.2 vs. 21.2%, P less than 0.001). The prevalence of at least one marker of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was significantly higher in barbers than in controls (86.1 vs. 61.7%, P less than 0.001). Although the socioeconomic status and education level did not correlate with the frequency of HBV markers, the prevalence of HBsAg increased in parallel with the duration of practice. Because of their high risk for HBV infection, barbers need to be screened for markers of HBV infection on a routine basis, and are prime candidates for immunoprophylaxis with hepatitis B vaccine.     

Hepatitis B virus surface and core antigens in the liver of primary hepatocellular carcinoma cases in Virginia

Zenker-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of biopsy liver tissue from 64 cases of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) were stained for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and for hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) by histochemical and/or immunohistochemical techniques in a retrospective study. PHC arose in livers with postnecrotic cirrhosis in 30 (46.9%) cases. Controls included liver biopsy sections from 123 miscellaneous liver disorders and from 67 randomly selected autopsy specimens, none of which were known to be associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. HBsAg was detected in tumorous hepatocytes in only one of the 64 cases of PHC. HBsAg was identified in nontumorous hepatocytes of 8 (20%) of 40 specimens that contained adequate nontumorous liver tissue. All of these HBsAg positive cases of PHC were associated with cirrhosis. Thus HBsAg was detected in 8 (33.3%) of 24 cases of PHC with cirrhosis, but in none of the remaining 16 cases without cirrhosis. HBcAg was not detected in the hepatocytes of those HBsAg positive PHC cases tested. Our results suggest that HBV infection may successively lead to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and ultimately PHC.