title: [Significance of "anti HBC alone" serological profile in 284 patients suspicious of being infected with hepatitis B virus].
abstract: The "anti-HBc alone" serological profile is a frequent finding in hepatitis B virus infections, but little is known about its clinical significance. The aim of this study was to explore the 'anti-HBc alone' serological profile obtained by immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 284 patients suspicious of being infected with hepatitis B virus. Sera were screened for following serological markers: HBs Ag, anti-HBc and anti-HBs antibodies using immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) and for HBV DNA using polymerase chain reaction. Among 284 studied sera with 'anti-HBc alone' serological profile, 124 were positives for anti-HBs antibodies by IRMA and corresponding to a recovered form of hepatitis B. Nineteen sera were negatives for anti-HBc antibodies, suggesting false positive results by ELISA. Two sera were found positives for HBs Ag by IRMA, which are related to authentic hepatitis B. HBV DNA was positive in 4 sera, suggesting occult hepatitis B. This study indicates that "anti-HBc alone" serological profile is most often correlates with recovered hepatitis B infection, but it can mask an occult hepatitis B.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax, Tunisie.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berrajah-Fki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Halima
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guermazi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hammami
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karray-Hakim
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens