Table 1.

Ultrasensitive quantification of the HBV A1762T/G1764A mutation from 20 HBeAg-positive patients

Sample no.	Mutant titer (copies/ml)	Total viral loada (copies/ml)	% Mutant	Serum ALTb (U/liter)
1		4.41E + 08	0	8
2		2.39E + 09	0	23
3	8.20E + 04	3.21E + 08	0.026	10
4	3.75E + 04	8.65E + 08	0.004	8
5	6.43E + 06	1.03E + 09	0.624	11
6		1.91E + 09	0	7
7		1.58E + 09	0	44
9		4.37E + 09	0	10
10		7.15E + 08	0	10
11		1.93E + 08	0	34
12	2.28E + 04	8.05E + 07	0.028	10
13		1.79E + 09	0	8
15	5.58E + 06	5.80E + 08	0.963	8
16	4.75E + 07	1.09E + 09	4.358	46
18		1.22E + 09	0	13
19	4.39E + 03	5.25E + 06	0.084	18
29	1.62E + 07	2.69E + 08	6.006	8
30		2.29E + 06	0	69
32	1.65E + 04	1.92E + 06	0.863	155
33	9.60E + 02	2.26E + 04	4.248	21

^aTotal viral load was measured in a two-step PCR similar to the mutation quantification assay except that the WT-selective PCR blocker was omitted and the annealing/fluorescence acquisition temperature was at 48°C.

^bALT, alanine aminotransferase. A serum ALT level of >40 U/liter generally indicates existing liver injury.