Infrequent occurrence of silent HBV infection among Indian patients with chronic liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the occurrence of silent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among patients with chronic liver disease (CLD).


METHODS
Plasma samples from 71 CLD patients including 9 HBsAg-positive individuals were tested for HBV DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR), and for HBV serum markers, i.e., anti-HBc antibody, HBeAg and anti-HBe antibody. The individuals were also tested for hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and anti-HCV antibody.


RESULTS
Among 62 HBsAg-negative patients, silent HBV infection was seen in only two (3.2%). Silent HBV infection was not found in any of the 26 patients who had evidence of HCV infection. One HBsAg-positive patient was positive for anti-HCV in the absence of HCV RNA.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a low rate of silent HBV infection among patients with CLD in India, where HBV is moderately endemic. Silent HBV infection is not associated with HCV-related CLD, which is in contrast to reports from other HBV-endemic areas in Asia.
Radhakrishnan
S
S
Department of Clinical Virology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore.
Abraham
P
P
Raghuraman
S
S
Kabrawala
M
M
Eapen
C E
CE
Sridharan
G
G
Chandy
G
G
D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral