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Prevalence of Occult HBV Infection Among Chronic Hepatitis C Patients in Upper Egypt
Amany G Thabit1, Mona A Hassan2, Michael N Agban2
1Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
Insights
Occult hepatitis B virus (OBI) infection affects 10.5% of chronic hepatitis C patients in Upper Egypt. This dual infection is linked to more severe liver disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) is characterized by detectable HBV DNA without HBsAg.
- Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection is a significant public health concern, particularly in regions like Upper Egypt.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of OBI in chronic HCV patients in Upper Egypt.
- To assess the impact of OBI on the progression of liver disease in HCV-infected individuals.
Main Methods:
- Nested PCR was used to detect HBV DNA in serum samples.
- The study included 200 patients with chronic HCV infection.
- Hepatitis B serological markers (anti-HBc) were also assessed.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of OBI among chronic HCV patients was 10.5% (21 out of 200).
- HBV viral load ranged from 4.2-60.1 IU/ml in OBI patients.
- A higher percentage of cirrhotics was observed in patients with OBI/HCV dual infection (52.4%) compared to HCV mono-infection (34.1%).
Conclusions:
- OBI is prevalent in chronic HCV patients in Upper Egypt, affecting 10.5% of the cohort.
- OBI is associated with more severe liver disease progression, indicated by a higher rate of cirrhosis.
- Total anti-HBc is not a reliable surrogate marker for detecting OBI in this population.
Abstract:
Occult hepatitis B virusinfection (OBI) is defined as the presence of HBV DNA in liver or serum of individuals who test negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).We aimed at determining the prevalence of OBI in patients chronically infected with HCV in Upper Egypt and to evaluate the possible impact of OBI on the progression of the liver disease. This study included 200 chronic HCV infected patients. HBV DNA was detected in the serum of 21 patients (10.5%) by nested PCR. 13 of them were positive for anti-HBc. HBV viral load ranged from 4.2-60.1 IU/ml. The percentage of cirrhotics was higher among OBI/HCV dual infection (52.4%) versus HCV mono infection (34.1%). Our study concluded that the prevalence of OBI among chronic HCV patients in Upper Egypt was 10.5%. OBI correlated with the severity of liver disease. Total anti-HBc cannot be used as a surrogate marker for detection of OBI.
