O ccult H epatitis B V irus I nfection in J apanese C hronic H emodialysis P atients

• Published in: Therapeutic apheresis and dialysis Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 289 - 292
• Main Authors: Nagakawa, Osamu, Miyatomi, Yoshiho, Shigeta, Yasuhiro, Inayama, Emi, Murakami, Kouichi, Sakai, Takehiko, Kouno, Takashi, Masai, Motoyuki, Shirai, Kohji, Yoshida, Toyohiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.06.2013
• ISSN: 1744-9979; 1744-9987
• DOI: 10.1111/1744-9987.12006

Abstract We investigated the prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus ( HBV ) infection in J apanese chronic hemodialysis patients. Hemodialysis patients ( n  = 1041) were screened for occult HBV . The presence of hepatitis B surface antigen ( HBsAg ), hepatitis B surface antibody, and hepatitis B core antibody (anti‐ HBc ) was determined by various chemiluminescent immunoassays. HBV‐DNA was quantified in patients positive for anti‐ HBc using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Among the 1041 patients, six (0.6%) were HBsAg ‐positive and 218 (20.9%) were anti‐ HBc ‐positive. All HBsAg ‐positive patients also tested positive for the presence of HBV DNA . Of 212 HBsAg ‐negative and anti‐ HBc ‐positive patients, three were positive for HBV DNA . Our study showed that the prevalence of occult HBV infection in chronic hemodialysis patients from eastern J apan was 0.3%.