Demographic and Virologic Characteristics of Individuals and Sera.

Abstract

<p>Abbreviations: VP = viral particles, virion; SVP = subviral HBsAg particles; IU = International Units; ng = nanograms; ALT = serum alanine amino trasferase.</p><p>Quantitative values for VP and SVP were obtained as previously reported <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0031952#pone.0031952-Gerlich1" target="_blank">[14]</a>–<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0031952#pone.0031952-Desire1" target="_blank">[15]</a>: 1 IU of HBsAg corresponds to 1,1E+06 IU HBV DNA and1 ng of HBsAg corresponds to 2,08E+08 SVP or 5,0E+07 VP.</p><p>HBV infection and disease phases were characterized as previuosly reported <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0031952#pone.0031952-Brunetto1" target="_blank">[8]</a>: IC = Inactive HBsAg Carriers with serum HBV-DNA persistently below 2000 IU and without liver disease; AC1 = Active HBsAg Carriers with serum HBV-DNA fluctuating below 20.000 IU with normal liver histology; AC2 = Active HBsAg carriers with serum HBV-DNA fluctuating above 20.000 IU with chronic active hepatitis at histology, patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).</p