Quantitation of HBV cccDNA in anti-HBc-positive liver donors by droplet digital PCR: a new tool to detect occult infection

Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) refers to the presence of intrahepatic HBV DNA in the absence of detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) [1]. OBI is secondary to overt HBV infections; it guarantees the persistence of the virus in a cryptic form protected from the immune response of the host. The virological key is the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), an HBV DNA form generated as a plasmid-like episome from the protein-linked relaxed circular DNA genome; it resides in the nucleus of infected cells and gives rise to progeny viral sequences acting as a transcription template for all viral RNAs [2].

Source: Journal of Hepatology - April 2, 2018 Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Gian Paolo Caviglia, Maria Lorena Abate, Francesco Tandoi, Alessia Ciancio, Antonio Amoroso, Mauro Salizzoni, Giorgio Maria Saracco, Mario Rizzetto, Renato Romagnoli, Antonina Smedile Source Type: research