Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Anti-HBs-positive Infants Born to HBsAg-positive Mothers in China

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2013 Aug 17

PMID 23951004

Citations 20

Authors

Haixia Su

Yuhai Zhang

Dezhong Xu

Bo Wang

Lei Zhang

Duan Li

Dan Xiao

Fan Li

Jingxia Zhang

Yongping Yan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

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 detect HBV DNA. PCR products of the C and pre-S/S regions were sequenced and analyzed.

Results: 1.61% (3/186) infants were HBsAg positive, and 4.92% (9/183) infants were considered as occult infection. The viral load of mothers was associated with occult infection (P = 0.020). Incomplete three-dose injections of HB vaccine was associated with HBV infection (P = 0.022). Six OBI infants were positive for anti-HBs, but their titers were not greater than 100 mIU/mL. Seven isolated HBV pre-S/S sequences were obtained from nine OBI infants. Three of the sequences were genotype C, and four of the sequences were genotype C/D. Escape mutation S143L was found in the four sequences of genotype C/D. All seven sequences lacked G145R and other escape mutation in S region.

Conclusions: Occult HBV infection was detected in anti-HBs positive infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers in China. Occult infection was associated with absent anti-HBs or with low anti-HBs level, high maternal viral loads and escape mutations in the S gene.

Citing Articles

An overview of occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) with emphasis on HBV vaccination.

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The Characteristic of HBV Quasispecies Is Related to Occult HBV Infection of Infants Born to Highly Viremic Mothers.

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Occult hepatitis B infection in children born to HBeAg-positive women confers a low long-term risk for HBsAg-positive infection.

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A Recent Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Genotypes and Subtypes in Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

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Anti-HBc-nonreactive occult hepatitis B infections with HBV genotypes B and C in vaccinated immunocompetent adults.

Deng X, Guo X, Gu H, Wang D, Laperche S, Allain J J Viral Hepat. 2022; 29(11):958-967.

PMID: 35876456 PMC: 9804389. DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13733.

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