Hepatitis B virus DNA, Plasma

Diagnostic Use

Hepatitis B is one of the world’s most common infectious diseases. About 350 million people have the virus. Every year between 500,000 to one million people die of HBV-related chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver cancer. Almost 94,000 people have hepatitis B in New Zealand.

Screening for Hepatitis B virus is routinely performed by testing for serologic markers (hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis core antigen, hepatitis B surface antibody). Nucleic acid tests for HBV DNA are used as an aid in the management of patients with chronic HBV infection undergoing anti-viral therapy and to measure HBV DNA levels at baseline and during treatment to aid in
assessing response to treatment.

If required, viral resistance genotyping (YMDD mutation analysis) can be added on to a HBV viral load sample if the VL is greater than 1000 IU/mL.

Department

Microbiology - Virology

Delphic Registration Code

DHBV

Laboratory Handling

Phlebotomy

Dedicated EDTA tubes required, minimum 4mL whole blood

Registration

Must not be registered on same request number as CLCR, TVPC, MGTV tests

Separating

Please refer to separating guide in Additional Information section below

Laboratory

If sample arrives frozen, please ensure it does not thaw.

Synonyms

HBV DNA
HBV viral load

Turnaround Time

4 days

Test Code

2740

Specimen Type

• Plasma

Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

• EDTA (Lavender Cap)

Preferred Sample Volume (ml)

4.0

No of Samples Required

2

Paediatric Specimen Requirements

Tube/Container Type:

Preferred

• EDTA (Lavender Cap)

Minimum Sample Volume (ml)

1.5

Pre-testing Requirements

Please refer to separating guidelines in the Additional Information section below.

All unseparated viral loads are required to be received in the laboratory by 4.30pm on Friday

Aliquot Instructions

Sample Type

• Plasma

Transport to Lab

Frozen
If overnight - Chilled (2 - 8 degrees Celsius)

Additional Referral/Aliquot Information

If separated sample will arrive within 70 hours of collection, chilled transport is acceptable.
If this timeframe cannot be guaranteed, please send samples frozen.

Reference Intervals

Results are reported as International Units (IU)/mL

Test Method

Detection and quantitation of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in human plasma (PCR) : Abbott Alinity m platform.

Non-Funded Test Cost

$284.39 (Exclusive of GST)

Billing Code

2740

The HBV assay is quantitative and provides a measure of the level of HBV replication. It is especially useful in patients with pre-core mutation who may not have detectable HBeAg.

Test Availability - Turnaround times are based on longest expected results received end of week and tested following week. Expect samples received M-Th to have 48 hr turnaround. Testing is performed on Abbott Alinity M platform.

Resources

• Viral Load collection and separation guidelines (198 KB)

Contact Information

Enquiry Form