Occult HBV infection among a cohort of Nigerian adults.
OBJECTIVE
To determine markers of HBV infection and detect the presence of its occult infection in serum of a cohort of adult Nigerians.


METHODS
The study involved 28 adult Nigerians with viral hepatitis (Group 1) and 28 apparently healthy adult Nigerians as controls (Group 2). Their sera were assayed for HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, and anti-HCV, while HBV DNA was determined in 15 patients with chronic hepatitis. Significance of differences between the patients and control subjects was assessed using Chi-square test at a 95% confidence level.


RESULTS
Sero-detection of HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe and anti-HBc was higher among the patients compared to the controls. HBV infection was diagnosed by HBsAg (89%) and a duo of HBsAg and anti-HBc (100%) among the patients. Similarly, eleven and four types of different patterns of HBV markers were observed among the respective groups. Anti-HBe (9.5%), anti-HBc (14.3%), and anti-HBs (9.5%) were detected among all the subjects who were sero-negative for HBsAg. HBV DNA was also detected in 86.7% of the 15 patients with chronic hepatitis, while occult HBV infection was observed in 7.2% of the patients and none (0%) of the controls, p < 0.05. Furthermore, HCV infection occurred among subjects with all the different patterns of HBV markers, except those with occult HBV infection and natural immunity to HBV.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that occult HBV infection is present among Nigerian adults and determination of HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBe, and HBV DNA will assist in its detection.
Ola
Samuel O
SO
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. soola@comui.edu.ng
Otegbayo
Jesse A
JA
Odaibo
Georgina N
GN
Olaleye
David O
DO
Olubuyide
Itunu O
IO
Summerton
Christopher B
CB
Bamgboye
Elijah A
EA
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies