title: HBV infection in Belgium: results of the BASL observatory of 1,456 HBsAg carriers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nationwide studies are mandatory to assess changes in the epidemiology of HBV infection in Europe.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe epidemiological characteristics of HBsAg-positive patients, especially inactive carriers, and to evaluate how practitioners manage HBV patients in real life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Belgian physicians were asked to report all chronically infected HBV patients during a one-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 1,456 patients included, 1,035 (71%) were classified into one of four phases of chronic infection: immune tolerance (n = 10), HBeAg-positive hepatitis (n = 248), HBeAg-negative hepatitis (n = 420) and inactive carrier state (n = 357 HBeAg-negative patients with ALT <upper limit of normal (ULN) and HBV DNA <2,000 IU/mL). Using less restrictive criteria for ALT (1-2 ULN) or HBV DNA (2,000-20,000 IU/mL), 93 unclassified patients were added to the group of inactive carriers. These 93 additional inactive carriers were younger, more frequently males, with similar risk factors for HBV infection and histological features compared to inactive carriers according to recent guidelines. Recent guidelines on management of HBV patients were generally followed, but systematic HBV DNA measurements and HDV co-infection screening should be reinforced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Belgium, an inactive carrier state was a common form of chronic HBV infection. Using less restrictive criteria for classification of inactive carriers did not modify their main characteristics and seemed better adapted to clinical practice. Recent guidelines on management of HBV patients should be reinforced.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital de Jolimont, Haine-Saint-Paul, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deltenre
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Laleman
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Gossum
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenaerts
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Colle
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michielsen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delwaide
authors.forename: Collins
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Assene
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reynaert
authors.forename: Franåois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Heygere
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Robaeys
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Galocsy
authors.forename: Réginald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brenard
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Langlet
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sprengers
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mairlot
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Preux
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lefçbvre
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orlent
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henrion
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens