Study of occult hepatitis B virus infection among Indian patients with isolated hepatitis B core antibody

Abstract

Occult Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) is characterized by the presence of HBV DNA in individuals who are negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), making its detection challenging using routine serological methods. Therefore, it is of interest to determine the prevalence of OBI among Anti-HBc positive, HBsAg-negative patients with suspected viral hepatitis in a tertiary care hospital setting. Hence, a total of 362 HBsAg-negative patients from high-risk groups were included in the study. Among them, 102 (28.2%) were Anti-HBc positive, indicating prior exposure to HBV. Molecular analysis using PCR revealed that 9 out of 362 patients (2.48%) had detectable HBV DNA, confirming occult infection. Thus, early identification of OBI is crucial to prevent transmission and reduce long-term complications such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.