DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2022.v10i08.029

Pages: 1336-1350

This study retrospectively investigated the extent of correlation between HbsAg quantitation and HBV quantification, whether knowing the value of one could adequately serve as an indicator for the value of another. We also investigated the extent of reliability of our results output by way of horizontal quality checks on two assays independently conducted on a cohort of patients at both Microbiology and Chemical pathology departments of the Hospital named above. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is produced and secreted through a complex mechanism that is still not fully understood. In clinical fields, HBsAg has long served as a qualitative diagnostic marker for hepatitis B virus infection. Notably, advances have been made in the development of quantitative HBsAg assays, which have allowed viral replication monitoring, and there is an opportunity to make maximal use of quantitative HBsAg to elucidate its role in clinical fields. Yet, it needs to be underscored that a further understanding of HBsAg, not only from clinical point of view but also from a virologic point of view, would enable us to deepen our insights, so that we could more widely expand and apply its utility. HBV belongs to Hepadnaviridae and is composed of the envelope, core, DNA genome, and viral polymerase. It has a circular form of partially double-stranded DNA and is approximately 3200 nucleotides in length. A 42-45 nm long HBV spherical form (Dane particle), which is the full virion with infectivity, can be visualized under electron microscopy. Using the COBAS TAGMAN 48 PCR for HBV viral load technique in Microbiology and, the Cobas e 411 HBsAg II (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, USA) we could not observe much correlation between the two parameters, though the Spearman ranked correlation coefficient, r, was positive with value of 0.02. Serum HBeAg for this cohort showed a high positive correlation of r= 0.9 with high HBV DNA viral load; also, when HBeAg was weakly positive it ............