Abstract: Abstract Objective: To explore the expression of HBeAg and the relationship of HBeAg and serum HBV-DNA in chronic hepatitis B and liver failure. Methods: we collected 118 patients with Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) and 109 patients with liver failure from Tianjin Infectious Diseases Hospital in April 2007 to September 2010，and analyzed retrospectively the changes of HBV-DNA content, the proportion of HBeAg-positive and-negative patients and the HBV-DNA content changes of HBeAg-positive and-negative patients .Results:in liver failure group the proportion of HBeAg-negative patients is higher than the proportion of CHB group, and the HBV-DNA level of HBeAg-negative patients is lower than the positive; the HBV-DNA level of liver failure group is lower than CHB group, and the HBVDNA levels of HBeAg positive and negative patients with liver failure are lower than the corresponding group of patients with CHB; In liver failure group, the proportions of HBeAg-negative patients are no significant difference , the HBV-DNA levels of patients whit Chronic liver failure and early acute-on-chronic liver failure are lower than the late acute-on-chronic liver failure ,but the HBV-DNA level of medium and late acute-on-chronic liver failure is no significant difference. Conclusion: different expression of HBeAg may play an important role in the evolution of chronic hepatitis B and liver failure, but it does not related with the severity of illness.

Key words: HBeAg-negative, HBV-DNA, liver failure, CHB