Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in sera from 18 alcoholic carriers of "anti-HBc alone" and response to a single dose of hepatitis B vaccine.
To evaluate the possibility of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in alcoholics carriers of "anti-HBc alone", and to verify the behavior of this serological pattern after a single dose of hepatitis B vaccine, 18 alcoholics who had this serological profile were evaluated by the polymerase chain reaction method, and 17 of them were vaccined. All were negative for HBV DNA. Nine (52.9%) of those vaccined had anamnestic response, mainly those with positive anti-HBe (8/10; 80%). "Anti-HBc alone" was compatible with low levels of anti-HBs in half of the patients, and probably with false positive results for anti-HBc in the others.
Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil. oliveiralcm@ufu.br
Luiz Carlos Marques de
LC
Oliveira
Priscilla Dias Silva
PD
Abrahão
Sergio Borges de
SB
Amorim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines