Hepatitis B Viral load

DISCLAIMER: This link was displayed at 19:38:36 16/07/2025 and expires on 21/07/2025 if printed.

Go to http://testguide.adhb.govt.nz/EGuide/ for more information.

Hepatitis B Viral load
Short Description : Hepatitis B PCR
Also known as : [Hepatitis B PCR]

Blood
Test performed by: LabPLUS VIM Molecular Diagnostics

Relevant clinical details MUST be written on the request form otherwise the test will be declined.

Specimens from the following clinical areas/situations will be accepted:

Gastroenterology
Liver units
Infectious diseases
Sexual Health
Follow-on testing for patients with confirmed chronic HBV infection in order to aid treatment decisions (note: diagnosis of HBV infection should be with HBV serology),
Viral load monitoring in a patient with confirmed chronic HBV, either prior to commencing antiviral treatment or when on antiviral treatment (6 monthly initially then 12 monthly when established on treatment)
Bone marrow transplant (BMT) donor screening
Other clinical details that justify HBV Viral Load testing
Requests for immigration purposes

A dedicated specimen (i.e. no other tests to be performed) is required for this assay.

Do not use heparin tubes

Viral load results may be adversely affected by delay in transport.

Specimen Collection
Micro collect tubes accepted for Auckland Hospital patients ONLY . All micro collects MUST be EDTA .

2 mL Paediatric Micro-EDTA Whole Blood (Always Required)
Must be dedicated sample ie. no other testing required.
4 full microcollect EDTA tubes required.

Must be full containers or there will be insufficient sample to assay

5 mL PPT Blood (Preferred)
Do not freeze unseparated PPT tubes . If the specimen requires freezing, the supernatant must be removed from the gel first.

Require a dedicated PPT tube specimen (no other tests requested).

Transport at 2 - 8 degrees C if transport time from collection is less than 5 days.

Specimens need to be separated and frozen after 5 days. Unseparated specimens are unsuitable for analysis after this time.

8.5 mL SST Blood

Absolute minimum volume required is 3.5 mL
Require a dedicated SST tube specimen (no other tests requested).
Centrifuge SST tube within 24 hours of collection.
Transport at 2 - 8 degrees C if transport time from collection is less than 72 hours. Transport frozen if more than 72 hours.
Hepatitis B virus mutation detection can be performed on this specimen.

Reference Intervals
Limit of detection for 650 ul sample volume: 10 - 1.00 +E09 (log 1.0 - 9.0) HBV DNA IU/mL
Limit of detection for 350 ul sample volume: 25 - 1.00 +E09 (log 1.4 - 9.0) HBV DNA IU/mL

One HBV IU is equivalent to 5.82 HBV DNA copies.

Uncertainty of Measurement:

+/- 0.1 log copies/ml

Turnaround Time: Between 5 days and 1 week
.

Assay Method

Testing is performed using the Roche Cobas 6800 HBV test.

Specimen Transport Instructions for Referring Laboratories
Require a dedicated SST tube specimen (no other tests requested).
On the arrival of SST tube in the laboratory - centrifuge SST tube within 24 hours of collection.

If testing is performed within 5 days, the sample should be stored at 4 ⁰ C
If the volume of plasma is less than required amount, transfer collected plasma to a conical microfuge tube prior to 600 x g centrifugation for 5 minutes. Recover remaining plasma without disturbing the pellet.

Tissue
Test performed by: LabPLUS VIM Molecular Diagnostics

Fresh liver biopsy

Contact Information
Urgent enquiries

In normal working hours (0800-1600 Mon-Fri) contact Clinical Virology via LabLINK (internal extension 22000, external number 09 307 8995).
Outside of normal working hours (evenings and weekends) contact the On Call Clinical Microbiologist via Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai Auckland main switchboard (09 367 0000).

Non-urgent enquiries

Email virology@adhb.govt.nz .

Last updated at 22:04:55 12/07/2025