In situ hybridization using a biotinylated DNA probe on formalin-fixed liver biopsies with hepatitis B virus infections: in situ hybridization superior to immunochemistry
Choi, Y.J.
Modern Pathology An Official Journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology Inc 3(3): 343-347
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0893-3952 PMID: 2194215 Document Number: 358623
In situ hybridization (ISH) using a biotinylated hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA probe was compared with immunohistochemistry (IHC) using antibody to HBsAg in liver biopsies of 98 patients with HBV-related hepatitis. The positive reaction for ISH and/or IHC was demonstrated in 83 cases from 98 cases studied. In 60 cases, the findings of ISH and IHC were concordant, and in 20 cases, ISH showed evidence of HBV infection by detecting HBV DNA, but IHC did not. The study here confirms the advantages of ISH detecting HBV-DNA over IHC detecting HBsAg. Since ISH using biotinylated probe is simple and rapid, it may be used as a routine diagnostic procedure.