Serological pattern of anti-HBc alone infers occult hepatitis B virus infection in high-risk individuals in Iran.
BACKGROUND
Anti-hepatitis B core antibody (Anti-HBc) alone is defined as the presence of anti-HBc in the absence of HBsAg and anti-HBs. The significance of this serological pattern as a predicting factor for occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains largely unknown. This study aimed to assess the significance of anti-HBc alone in predicting occult HBV infection in high-risk and low-risk individuals.


METHODS
A total of 926 individuals were enrolled in this study, including 289 hemodialysis (HD) and 106 HIV-infected patients who were considered as a high-risk group and 531 blood donors who were considered as low-risk. HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc were tested in all subjects. The presence of HBV-DNA was determined quantitatively in patients with anti-HBc alone by real-time PCR.


RESULTS
Of the 395 high-risk patients, 40 cases (10.13%) had anti-HBc alone, while 11 subjects (2.07%) out of 531 blood donors had anti-HBc alone. HBV-DNA was detected in 12 out of 40 (30%) high-risk patients and none of the blood donors with anti-HBc alone.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed that the serological pattern of anti-HBc alone could reflect occult HBV infection in high risk cases but did not presume occult HBV infection in low-risk individuals.
Clinical Research Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Amitis
A
Ramezani
Mohammad
M
Banifazl
Ali
A
Eslamifar
Arezoo
A
Aghakhani
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens