OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of occult HBV infection (OBI) among children and to characterize virology of occult HBV, we conducted an epidemiological survey. METHODS 186 HB-vaccinated infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers were included in the study. Serological tests for HBV markers were performed using commercial ELISA kits. Real-time quantitative PCR and nested PCR were used to ...

BACKGROUND A program, supported by the GEMHEP (Groupe d'étude Moléculaire des Hépatites), was established in 2007 in the sanitary district of Tokombéré, to prevent perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV). It comprises screening for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) in all pregnant women and vaccinating the newborn if tests are positive. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS 1276 women were enrolled ...

conclusions in comparison with the rate of hbcab positivity reported in other iranian studies, the rate was higher in the present study. there were a few variations, genotypes, and subtypes among the infected injecting drug users. further investigations are needed to unravel the molecular characterization of obi. results sixty-four (28%) participants were hbcab positive, 59 cases were hbcab pos...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important health concern worldwide, with critical outcomes. Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis B is frequently caused by a mutation (G1896A) in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore (PC) reading frame, which creates a stop codon, causing premature termination of the HBe protein. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate t...

BACKGROUND Drug resistance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an increasing clinical problem. Resistance to lamivudine in HBV isolates in Mexico has been poorly explored. OBJECTIVES To characterize the mutation patterns associated with genotypic resistance to lamivudine and their prevalence among HBV isolates in Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-nine Mexican HBV isolates were analysed by PCR a...

Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is endemic in Southeast Asia, molecular epidemiological data on HBV circulating in some countries are limited. The aims of this study were to evaluate the seroprevalence of HBV and its genetic variability among migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar in Thailand. Sera collected from 1,119 Cambodian, 787 Laotian, and 1,103 Myanmarese workers we...

Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is defined as presence of HBV DNA in the liver regardless of serum HBV DNA detectability in HBsAg-negative patients. Occult HBV infection is not uncommon in Korea because the prevalence of occult HBV infection depends on the HBsAg carrier rate. The underlying mechanisms for occult HBV infection is not fully understood yet, but both viral and host factors...