TY - JOUR T1 - Relationship between HBV-specific DNA polymerase and HBe antigen/antibody system in chronic HBV infection: factors determining selection of patients and outcome of antiviral therapy. JF - Gut JO - Gut SP - 143 LP - 147 DO - 10.1136/gut.24.2.143 VL - 24 IS - 2 AU - A Craxi AU - I V Weller AU - M F Bassendine AU - M J Fowler AU - J Monjardino AU - H C Thomas AU - S Sherlock Y1 - 1983/02/01 UR - http://gut.bmj.com/content/24/2/143.abstract N2 - The sera of 23% of HBe antigen positive patients with chronic hepatitis are HBV-DNA polymerase negative. These patients are probably undergoing spontaneous seroconversion from a state of high to low viral replication and do not require antiviral therapy. In chronic HBV infection rapid changes in viral replication as a result of antiviral therapy are reflected by changes in HBV-DNA and HBV-DNA polymerase but not by changes in HBe antigen concentrations. Disappearance of HBe antigen from serum may be delayed for 180 days after permanent inhibition of HBV replication with adenine arabinoside or its monophosphate derivative. ER -