Occult Hepatitis B Prevalence Among the Patients with Isolated Anti-HBc IgG Positivity

Occult hepatitis B (OHB) is defined by the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA in the serum in absence of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). Isolated hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc IgG) positivity in the serum may represent OHB infection. The aim of this study was to investigate OHB prevalence among the patients who were tested for HBV serological markers before operation. During two years period, the patients attending to department of anesthesiology for pre-operation HBV serological control were evaluated. Among these patients, subjects in whom isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity was detected were included in the study. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartat aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamil transpeptidase (GGT), antihepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody (by using ELISA), serum HBV-DNA levels (by using real-time polymerase chain reaction) were tested in all subjects. HBV “S” gen region mutation was investigated in all serum samples of patients detected as OHB. At the end of the study, we found that 465 patients admitted to department of anesthesiology during two years. Isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity was found in 56 (12%) of them. Thirty nine of the patients with isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity, were included in the study. In 30 (76.9%) of them isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity was confirmed and in six (20%) of them OHB was found. In none of the patients with OHB, HBV “S” gen region mutation was determined. In conclusion; OHB prevelance determined in this study is concordant to the literature. According to our results, different probable mechanisms, except for “S” gen region mutation, may cause OHB