Over-gap PCR amplification to identify presence of replication-competent HBV DNA from integrated HBV DNA: An updated occult HBV infection definition

With great interest, we read the manuscript “Quantitation of HBV cccDNA in anti-HBc-positive liver donors by droplet digital PCR: a new tool to detect occult infection” by Caviglia et al. published in Journal of Hepatology.1 Using a highly sensitive in-house droplet digital PCR assay (ddPCR) method, the authors indicated that intrahepatic HBV covalently closed circular (cccDNA) was detectable in about half (52%, 27/52) of the defined cases of occult HBV infection (OBI). We wonder whether the pretreatment with plasmid-safe ATP dependent DNase (PSAD) plus double-over-gap cccDNA ‘specific’ primers spanning the HBV relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) gap region used in this paper could totally eliminate the interference of rcDNA, though this method had been widely used in the detection of cccDNA.
Source: Journal of Hepatology - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research