St. Petersburg Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Pasteur

History

2022: Developed a way to detect hidden viral hepatitis B

In April 2022, scientists at the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Pasteur announced the creation of a new method for detecting latent hepatitis B. The method is based on a two-stage polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with detection of three targets in real time and allows detecting the DNA of the virus in a latent form of chronic viral hepatitis B.

Diagnosis is carried out in two stages, which allows increasing the sensitivity of the analysis. In the course of the study three regions of viral genome are determined, detection of any two of which confirms validity of detection of latent hepatitis B. Internal control is used as PCR control, which is detection of host (human) gene in the analysed sample. At the second stage, a control sample is introduced into the study, which is a plasmid containing nucleotide sequences of three regions of the viral genome. Method provides higher sensitivity and reliability of diagnostics.

Developed a way to detect hidden viral hepatitis B

The developed method revealed the prevalence of latent hepatitis B in blood donors, in pregnant women, in migrant workers, in HIV-infected persons, in patients receiving hemodialysis therapy, and in patients with hepatitis of unclear etiology.

As noted in the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Pasteur, one of the most significant health problems in the world remains hepatotropic viruses that can cause both acute and chronic diseases. The most common hepatotropic virus is hepatitis B virus.

Chronic viral hepatitis B is a diffuse-inflammatory disease associated with the persistence (continuous and cyclic reproduction (replication) of hepatitis B virus. One form of the natural course of the disease is latent hepatitis B^[1]

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