title: Genetic variation of occult hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: Occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI), characterized as the persistence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) seronegativity and low viral load in blood or liver, is a special form of HBV infection. OBI may be related mainly to mutations in the HBV genome, although the underlying mechanism of it remains to be clarified. Mutations especially within the immunodominant "α" determinant of S protein are "hot spots" that could contribute to the occurrence of OBI via affecting antigenicity and immunogenicity of HBsAg or replication and secretion of virion. Clinical reports account for a large proportion of previous studies on OBI, while functional analyses, especially those based on full-length HBV genome, are rare.
authors.affiliation: Hui-Lan Zhu, Xu Li, Zhen-Hua Zhang, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Lan
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Hui-Lan Zhu, Xu Li, Zhen-Hua Zhang, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hui-Lan Zhu, Xu Li, Zhen-Hua Zhang, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Hui-Lan Zhu, Xu Li, Zhen-Hua Zhang, Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
keywords: Hepatitis B surface antigen; Hepatitis B virus; Occult; Variation