Prevalence and significance of hepatitis B core antibodies among hepatitis B surface antigen-negative Egyptian polytransfused adult patients

Background/aims Blood transfusion is a well-established line of therapy associated with risk of infection transmission. Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is defined as the presence of HBV-DNA in the serum and/or the liver in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Combined screening of HBsAg and hepatitis B core antibody (anti- HBc) can virtually eradicate blood-transmitted HBV. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of anti- HBc among Egyptian polytransfused adult patients and to determine the presence or absence of HBV-DNA in the serum samples of HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc-positive polytransfused adult patients using the polymerized chain reaction (PCR) method to assess the magnitude of occult HBV infection in these patients. Patients and methods This cross-sectional study included 79 polytransfused patients negative for HBsAg, HBsAb, and anti-hepatitis C virus. Patients were investigated for anti- HBc and samples of anti-HBc-positive patients were tested for HBV-DNA using real-time PCR. Results Among the 79 HBsAg-negative sera, anti-HBc was detected in 12 of 79 (15.19%) cases. All anti-HBc-positive sera were anti-HBs-negative. HBV-DNA was detected in five of 12 (41.67%) cases. Occult HBV infection was present in 6.33% of patients. Conclusion The overall prevalence of occult HBV in adult Egyptian polytransfused patients on regular blood transfusion is 6.33%.