Hepatitis B virus Quantitative Real-Yime PCR: Gold Stranded for HBV Viral Load Detection

Hepatitis B virus causes the short and long-term liver infections in humans. Mostly in the healthy populations, HBV causes Acute Hepatitis B, which is a short-term inflammation of the liver caused by HBV within 6 months. Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and jaundice. Most people recover from acute hepatitis B within a few months. People with some health conditions such as immune compromise are not able to clear the HBV from the body resulting in Chronic Hepatitis B. It is a long-term infection that can last for years or even a lifetime. Chronic Hepatitis B causes various liver problems such as cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer such as Hepatocellular cancer. Many people with the chronic hepatitis B have no symptoms, but others may experience fatigue, abdominal pain, and jaundice.

Other Name: HBV PCR, HBV QPCR, HBV Polymerase chain reaction, HBV DNA Quantitative Test, HBV Quantitative viral load, HBV viral load by real-time PCR.

Hepatitis B virus transmission

The Hepatitis B virus is transmitted when a healthy person comes in contact with an infected person's blood or body fluids, such as semen and vaginal secretions either physically or by sharing needles. The prenatal transmission, mother to child during pregnancy or delivery is also a major mode of transmission of HBV.

Epidemiology of HBV infection

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019, 2.96 x 10⁸Chronic HBV infections were reported, and in next subsequent years, 1.5 x 10⁶cases were reported. Chronic Hepatitis B-related complications such as cirrhosis and Hepatocellular carcinoma cause 8.2 x 10⁵ deaths in 2019 worldwide.

In India, HBV infection is a significant public health problem, with a high burden of acute and chronic HBV infections. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of chronic HBV infection in India is estimated to be around 3-4%, which translates to approximately 4 x 10⁷million people living with chronic HBV infection. However, the actual prevalence may be higher due to underreporting and inadequate screening.

When should you get tested for HBV?

You should consider getting tested for hepatitis B virus (HBV) if you are at risk for infection or if you have symptoms of the disease.

What is the Risk of Infection?

Being born should get tested if the mother has HBV infection.
Having unprotected sex with someone who has HBV.
Sharing needles or other injection equipment with someone puts you at risk.
If you are a healthcare worker and frequently come in contact with blood or body fluids
If you have recently travelled to a state or country with high rates of HBV infection such as Africa and Southeast Asia.

Symptoms of HBV Infection

If you have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or jaundice.

Note: Some people with HBV infection maynot show any symptoms and may not know they are infected. Therefore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all adults and adolescents at high risk for HBV infection be screened for the virus. Early detection and diagnosis are crucial for managing the disease and preventing complications.

HBV Diagnostic Test

There are various diagnostic tests available for HBV detection such as Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs):Total antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (IgM anti-HBc), Liver Function Test (LFT) and HBV qualitative and quantitative Real-Time PCR.

HBV Quantitative Real-time PCR is a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic test method that uses fluorescent probes such as the Taq Man probe for the detection of even a very low amount of HBV virus genetic material in blood samples.

Procedure for HBV Quantitative Real-time PCR test

Sample Collection: Blood Sample drawn in EDTA Tube from the vein of the patient’s arm.
Sample Transport: Collected EDTA blood tube stored at 2 to 4^OC temperature and transported to testing molecular Lab.
DNA isolation: DNA is isolated from Blood samples using fully automated Nucleic acid extraction machines. After that HBV DNA is amplified with the help of a Real-Time PCR machine.
Real-time PCR: In Real-Time PCR, whole DNA isolated from the patient blood sample is amplified for a specific HBV DNA sequence and detected in real-time as it is amplified with the help of fluorescent probes.
Result Analysis: The doctor will analyze the result, whether the HBV DNA is amplified or not, which concludes the positive or Negative result for HBV infection. Finally, the Report is authenticated and released.

HBV Quantitative Real-time PCR Vs HBV Qualitative Real-time Test

Unlike Qualitative HBV DNA Real-Time PCR, this only reports the presence and absence of HBV DNA in patient blood. Quantitative HBV Real-time PCR not only detects the presence and absence of HBV DNA it also reports the Viral load of HBV in patient samples if HBV is detected in the blood. So, with Positive/Detected and Negative/ Not Detected reports, Viral Copy numbers for Positive cases are also reported. In Simple Terms, in quantitative HBV DNA Real-time PCR will tell you if HBV is present or absent and if present how much virus is in your body.

HBV Quantitative Real-time PCR Result Analysis

Positive / Detected result Mean: A positive result means that HBV DNA is present in the blood sample. The amount of HBV DNA detected can vary and is usually reported in International Units per millilitre(IU/mL) or copies per millilitre (copies/mL). The higher the viral load (the amount of virus in the blood), the more active the HBV infection is likely to be. A high viral load is associated with a greater risk of liver damage and disease progression.
Negative Result: A negative result means that HBV DNA is not detected in the blood sample. This can indicate either that the person is not infected with HBV or that the viral load is too low to be detected by the test. In some cases, a negative result can also be caused by the presence of inhibitors in the sample that interfere with the PCR reaction.

Note: Real-time PCR is a sensitive and specific test for detecting HBV DNA, but it should not be used as the sole diagnostic tool for HBV infection. Other tests, such as the HBsAg test and anti-HBc test, may also be needed to confirm the diagnosis and monitor the progression of the disease.

Requirement for the HBV DNA Quantitative Real-time PCR Testing

There is no special requirement for testing however it’s better to inform the phlebotomist if you are taking any medication or have any allergy or medical condition such as bleeding or clotting.

The risk associated with HBV DNA Quantitative Real-time PCR Testing

There is no risk involved in HBV testing; therefore patient does not require any special attention after testing.

Note for patients: although blood is collected from experienced phlebotomists, there are chances that patients may feel discomfort or pain at the vein puncture site which is normal.

HBV DNA Quantitative Real-time PCR Test Price in Delhi /NCR

The price of the test varies from lab to lab and depends on Lab certification; the instrument used, and qualified technical staff and doctors.

HBV DNA Quantitative Real-time PCR test at Ganesh Diagnostic and Imaging Centre

Ganesh Diagnostic and Imaging Centre is a National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) certified lab for HBV Quantitative Real-time PCR Test testing. NABL accreditation reflects the competency of laboratory infrastructure, technical staff, and equipment based on national and international standards.
The lab has state-of-the-art machines such as Bio-Rad Real-Time PCR machine, fully closed Truelab Quattro Real-Time Quantitative PCR Machine, Genetix HT 96 Purifier Machine, APS 32 Extractor, Automated Molbio extractors, and qualified techniques to perform testing and doctor for result analysis and report authentication.
The use of fully automated machines at Ganesh Diagnostic eliminates the errors that can happen due to human intervention. All this makes sure that the patient will receive a reliable and 100% accurate diagnostic report for the test.
The test report in 24 hr from the sample collection for the HBV Quantitative Real-time PCR.
Free Home collection and Online report facilities are provided by Ganesh Diagnostic so that patients can get tests from the comfort of their homes.
The Pathology services operate 24x7, 365 days, providing service to patients round the clock!
At Ganesh Diagnostic and Imaging Centre, all diagnostic test prices are very reasonable, and currently, the HBV Quantitative Real-time PCR Test is done at 50% OFF.