title: Occult hepatitis B virus infection among injecting drug users in the Central-West Region of Brazil.
abstract: The prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was investigated in 149 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative injecting drug users (IDUs) in the Central-West Region of Brazil. Of these individuals, 19 were positive for HBV DNA, resulting in an occult HBV infection prevalence of 12.7% (19/149); six of these 19 individuals had anti-HBV core and/or anti-HBV surface antibodies and 13 were negative for HBV markers. All IDUs with occult hepatitis B reported sexual and/or parenteral risk behaviours. All HBV DNA-positive samples were successfully genotyped. Genotype D was the most common (17/19), followed by genotype A (2/19). These findings reveal a high prevalence of occult HBV infection and the predominance of genotype D among IDUs in Brazil's Central-West Region.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brasil. marciaalvesdias@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Márcia Alves Dias de
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: Renata Carneiro
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Fabiana Perez
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Tamíris Augusto
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.forename: Carmen Luci Rodrigues
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Antônia Carlos Magalhães
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Novais
authors.forename: Ana Rita Coimbra
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Motta-Castro
authors.forename: Sheila Araújo
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Teles
authors.forename: Francisco José Dutra
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Souto
authors.forename: Regina Maria Bringel
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D055030:Drug Users / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens