Prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection in a general adult population in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers and occult HBV infection in a general adult population in Korea.


METHODS
HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc were analyzed on 1,091 samples of routine medical check-up examinees by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) was performed on 1,047 HBsAg-negative samples by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit for simultaneous detection of HBV, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus (Cobas Taqscreen MPX) in pools of six and reactive pools were resolved to individual samples, and further discriminated by PCR-based assay for HBV (Cobas Ampliscreen HBV).


RESULTS
The prevalences of HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs were 4.0, 39.3, and 75.4%, respectively. The prevalence of anti-HBc significantly decreased with decreasing age (p< 0.001). Occult HBV infection was found in 7 (0.7%) of 1,047 HBsAg-negative subjects, and 5 of them were anti-HBc-negative. Sequencing of HBV S gene in 3 cases revealed one wild-type and two mutant strains (W74S, F85Y; T63I, W74S, T131N substitutions).


CONCLUSIONS
This study helps to understand the current status of hepatitis B infection and the prevalence of occult HBV infection in a general adult population in Korea.
Song
Eun Young
EY
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Yun
Yeo Min
YM
Park
Myoung Hee
MH
Seo
Dong Hee
DH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; C118669:S envelope protein, hepatitis B virus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins