Analysis of Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) by Real-Time PCR Method (CAT#: STEM-MB-2998-LGZ)

Introduction

Hepatitis D virus (HDV) was discovered in 1977 in patients with chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Originally thought to be an unrecognized HBV antigen, the HDV nuclear antigen was later discovered to be a part of a new pathogen, initially known as the delta agent. HDV is considered a hybrid virus as it uses Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) as its envelope protein and therefore is only able to infect patients that concomitantly harbor the HBV.<br />A real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR,or qPCR) is a laboratory technique of molecular biology based on the polymerase chain reaction(PCR). It monitors the amplification of a targeted DNA molecule during the PCR(i.e.,in real time), not at its end, as in conventional PCR.<br />Two common methods for the detection of PCR products in real-time PCR are(1)non-specific fluorescent dyes that intercalate with any double-stranded DNA and (2)sequence-specific DNA probes consisting of oligonucleotides that are labelled with a fluorescent reporter, which permits detection only after hybridization of the probe with its complementary sequence.