Data For “Development of a dual channel detection system for pan-genotypic simultaneous quantification of hepatitis B and delta viruses"

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health problem
and, in associated co-infection with hepatitis delta virus (HDV), causes
the most severe viral hepatitis and accelerated liver disease progression.
As a defective satellite RNA virus, HDV can only propagate in the presence
of HBV infection, which makes HBV DNA and HDV RNA the standard biomarkers
for monitoring the virological response upon antiviral therapy, in
co-infected patients. Although assays have been described to quantify
these viral nucleic acids in circulation independently, a method for
monitoring both viruses simultaneously is not available, thus hampering
characterization of their complex dynamic interactions. Here, we describe
the development of a dual fluorescence channel detection system for
pan-genotypic, simultaneous quantification of HBV DNA and HDV RNA through
a one-step quantitative PCR. The sensitivity for both HBV and HDV is about
10 copies per microliter without significant interference between these
two detection targets. This assay provides reliable detection for HBV and
HDV basic research in vitro and in human liver chimeric mice. Preclinical
validation of this system on serum samples from patient on or off
antiviral therapy also illustrates a promising application that is rapid
and cost-effective in monitoring HBV and HDV viral loads simultaneously.