Method of detecting hepatitis B variants having deletions within the X region of the virus genome

摘要

The present invention provides methods for the detection of hepatitis B virus in atypical infections by simultaneously detecting antibodies against the X and polymerase gene products of HBV. Further, the present invention provides methods for the detection of HBV in atypical infections in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay employing selected primes. These primers allow the detection of a specific class of HBV variants. These methods are useful for demonstrating the presence of productive virus infection and may prove useful in monitoring therapeutics.