Prevalence of Occult HBV Infection Among Anti-HBc Alone Group in Northern Taiwan

Atni-HBs to HBsAg and Anit-HBc was interpreted based on three hepatitis markers for clinical detection of HBV-infections. HBAg and Anti-HBs were negative and the Anit-HBc-positive referred to as Anti-HBc alone. When the Anti-HBc alone occurs, patients may be due to mutations in HBV HBsAg can not be detected due to (1), but if by the molecular diagnostics by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology can detect HBV DNA present. When Anti-HBc alone in patients with serum HBV DNA can be measured, then there may be occult HBV infection. In different countries, Occult HBV infection in the Anti-HBc Alone group had significant differences in the prevalence (2.9 \~ 22.8%) (2), but prevalence survey in Taiwan there are very few studies on this , It is hoped to be able to investigation the prevalence of occult HBV infection Among Anti-HBc Alone.