occult hepatitis b: evolving challenges and new perspectives

Occult hepatitis B: Evolving challenges and new perspectives

We read with great interest the article, “efficacy of hepatitis B vaccine in those who lost hepatitis B surface antigen during follow-up” by Taheri et al. published in Hepatitis Monthly (1). In this article, the authors assessed the efficacy of HBV vaccine in those who lost their HBsAg without seroconverssion to anti-HBs antibody with no detectable anti-HBs antibody and HBV DNA in their sera. T...

Occult Hepatitis B in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Introduction: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one health problem in Iran. Occult hepatitis B (OBI) is diagnosed by the detection of HBV DNA in the serum or liver tissue of patients for whom other serology, especially HBsAg and HBcAg, are negative. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of OBI in patients who refer for chemotherapy. Methods: Al...

CHARACTERISTICS AND PREVALENCE OF OCCULT HEPATITIS B VIRUS INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH HEPATITIS C IN IRAN

 ABSTRACT Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients who lack detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is called occult hepatitis B infection. Such infections have been frequently identified in patients with chronic hepatitis Cliver disease, but their prevalence is not known. Methods: 207 patients with chronic hepatitis C who were HCV -RNA and antiHCV positive were stu...

New approach to managing occult hepatitis B infection

I read with great interest the paper by Taheri et al. published in (1) Hepatitis Monthly (Number 31, February 2011). The results of this follow-up study are hopeful of hepatitis-B vaccine efficacy in patients who lost HBsAg and did not seroconvert to anti-HBs with no detectable HBV DNA. However, the editorial in the same issue, as well as Taheri et al. themselves, noted some important limitatio...

Occult Hepatitis B: Clinical Viewpoint and Management

Occult HBV infection (OBI) is defined as HBV DNA detection in serum or in the liver by sensitive diagnostic tests in HBsAg-negative patients with or without serologic markers of previous viral exposure. OBI seems to be higher among subjects at high risk for HBV infection and with liver disease. OBI can be both a source of virus contamination in blood and organ donations and the reservoir for fu...

new approach to managing occult hepatitis b infection