title: Occult hepatitis B virus infection in a North American community-based population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection [HBV-DNA detection in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative individuals] may cause acute and/or chronic liver disease. The objective of this study was to document the prevalence of occult HBV in an isolated, North American Inuit community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and eighty seven HBsAg negative sera (61% of the community population) were available for HBV-DNA testing by real time PCR. Of these, 80 (Group 1) had serologic evidence of resolved HBV infection and 407 (Group 2) were HBV-seronegative.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HBV-DNA was detected in 14/80 (18%) and S-variants in 12/14 (86%) samples from Group 1. In Group 2, HBV-DNA was detected in 33/407 (8.1%) and S-variants in 17/33 (52%). In all cases (Groups 1 and 2) viral loads were low (<10(5) viral copies/ml) and clinical or biochemical features did not distinguish HBV-DNA positive from negative individuals. However, S-variants were more common (P<0.0001) in older age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate that in this community-based population; (1) the prevalence of occult HBV infection is 18% in those with serologic evidence of previous HBV infection and 8.1% in HBV seronegative individuals, (2) age, gender and liver biochemistry findings do not identify those with occult HBV and (3) S-variants are present in the majority of individuals with occult HBV.
authors.affiliation: Section of Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. gminuk@cc.umanitoba.ca
authors.forename: Gerald Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Minuk
authors.forename: Dong-Feng
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uhanova
authors.forename: Manna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shauna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caouette
authors.forename: Lindsay E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Nicolle
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutkin
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Doucette
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giulivi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D004930:Inuit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens