title: Occult hepatitis B virus among the patients with abnormal alanine transaminase.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is defined as the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the sera or in the liver biopsy and the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by serological test.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study aimed to evaluate the occult HBV infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and determine HBV genotyping among the patients with abnormal alanine transaminase (ALT) in Ahvaz city, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sera of 120 patients, 54 (45%) females and 66 (55%) males, with abnormal ALT 40-152 IU were collected. All the patients were negative for HBsAg for more than one year. The patients` sera were tested by PCR using primers specified for the S region of HBV. Then the positive PCR products were sequenced to determine HBV genotyping and phylogenic tree.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of these 120 subjects, 12 (10%) patients including 6 (5%) males and 6 (5%) females were found positive for HBV DNA by PCR, which indicated the presence of occult HBV infection among these patients. The sequencing results revealed that genotype D was predominant with sub-genotyping D1 among OBI patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occult hepatitis B infection is remarkably prevalent in Ahvaz, Iran, and should be considered as a potential risk factor for the transmission of Hepatitis B Virus throughout the community by the carriers.
authors.affiliation: Infectious and Tropical Disease Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Research Institute for Infectious Diseases of Digestive System, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran ; Virology Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Manoochehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makvandi
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Niloofar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Neisi
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Davod
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khalafkhany
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Kamyar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Makvandi
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Eskandar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hajiani
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shayesteh
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abdolrahim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masjedi Zadeh
authors.affiliation: Pathology Unit, Danesh Laboratory, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Amir Hosein
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sina
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamidifard
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasti
authors.affiliation: Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Kambiz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Education Development Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Jafar
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yad Yad
keywords: Alanine Transaminase; Hepatitis B; Occult; Polymerase Chain Reaction