title: Occult hepatitis B virus infection in immunocompromised patients.
abstract: Occult hepatitis B infection is characterized by hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the serum in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). We assessed occult HBV infection prevalence in two groups of immunocompromised patients (maintenance hemodialysis patients and HIV-positive patients) presenting HBsAg-negative and anti-HBc positive serological patterns, co-infected or not by HCV. Thirty-four hemodialysis anti-HIV negative patients, 159 HIV-positive patients and 150 blood donors who were anti-HBc positive (control group) were selected. HBV-DNA was detected by nested-PCR. Occult hepatitis B infection was not observed in the hemodialysis patients group but was found in 5% of the HIV-patients and in 4% of the blood donors. Immunosuppression in HIV positive patients was not a determining factor for occult HBV infection. In addition, no significant relationship between HBV-DNA and HCV co-infection in the HIV-positive patient group was found. A lack of significant associations was also observed between positivity for HBV-DNA and CD4 count, viral load and previous lamivudine treatment in these HIV-positive patients.
authors.affiliation: Study Group of Hepatitis, Infectious Disease, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medical Science, State University of Campinas, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ruth Nogueira Cordeiro Moraes
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Jardim
authors.forename: Neiva Sellan Lopes
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Gonçales
authors.forename: Josiane Silveira Felix
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Viviane Cristina
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Fais
authors.forename: Fernando Lopes
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Gonçales Junior
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host / Q000276:immunology*; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D019259:Lamivudine