Prevalence of Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in a General Adult Population in Korea

Song, Eun Young; Yun, Yeo‐Min; Park, Myoung Hee; Seo, Dong Hee

doi:10.1159/000214633

Cited by 46 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…These data may reflect the effects of universal HBV vaccination in Korea. The proportion of anti-HBc was highest in adults aged 50-59 years (52.4%) and decreased with decreasing age [33] .…”

Section: Changes In Hbv Core Antibody Positivitymentioning

confidence: 91%

Impacts of Vaccination on Hepatitis B Viral Infections in Korea over a 25-Year Period

2010

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Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination has effectively reduced the acute and chronic infection rates in recent years. Since 1983, HBV vaccination has been recommended for all neonates in Korea. Methods: This article reviews the impacts of HBV vaccination throughout the past 25 years in Korea. Before the introduction of the HBV vaccination program, approximately 8% of the general Korean population tested positive for hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg). Results: The percentage of vaccinated infants has surpassed 98.9% since 1990. The HBsAg carrier rate in the general population decreased to 3.7% in 2007. In particular, the prevalence of HBsAg decreased to 0.44% in teenagers and to 0.2% in children younger than 10 years. In addition, administration of the HBV vaccine may have reduced the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma among adults. Despite the administration of hepatitis B immunoglobulin and the HBV vaccine to children with HBsAg-positive mothers, the failure rate of HBV immunoprophylaxis was 4.2% in 2008. In Korea, there have been no reported cases of HBV surface gene variants such as G145R. Conclusions: The prevalence of HBV carriers in Korea was markedly reduced after the introduction of the universal HBV vaccination program. Korea is now classified as an area of intermediate endemicity for HBV.

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Section: Changes In Hbv Core Antibody Positivitymentioning

confidence: 91%

Impacts of Vaccination on Hepatitis B Viral Infections in Korea over a 25-Year Period

2010

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“…The prevalence of serum/ plasma HBV DNA-reactive and HBsAg-and anti-HBc-negative infection was reported between 0.07% and 7.6% of tested subjects from different areas of endemicity (2,(17)(18)(19)(20).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Repeated Exposure to Trace Amounts of Woodchuck Hepadnavirus Induces Molecularly Evident Infection and Virus-Specific T Cell Response in the Absence of Serological Infection Markers and Hepatitis

Gujar

Mulrooney‐Cousins

Michalak

2013

J Virol

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Exposure to multiple small doses of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a frequent occurrence in high-risk groups, including close relatives of infected individuals, primary care givers, and intravenous drug users. It remains uncertain whether such repeated contact may culminate in a symptomatic infection coinciding with hepatitis in individuals not immunoprotected. In this study, we evaluated consequences of multiple exposures to small, liver-nonpathogenic amounts of infectious hepadnavirus in the woodchuck model of hepatitis B. Virus-naïve animals were intravenously injected with 6 weekly doses of 110 DNase digestion-protected virions of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV), injected again with 6 weekly 110-virion doses after 7.5 months, and then challenged or not with a liver-pathogenic dose of 1.1 ؋ 10 6 virions of the same inoculum. The data revealed that two rounds of such repeated exposure did not result in serologically evident infection or hepatitis. However, a low-level WHV DNA-positive infection accompanied by a WHV-specific T cell response in the absence of antiviral antibody reactivity was established. The kinetics of the virus-specific and mitogen-induced (generalized) T cell responses and the inability to induce immunoprotection against challenge with a large, liver-pathogenic virus dose were closely comparable to those previously reported for occult infection initiated by a single liver-nonpathogenic dose of WHV. Thus, repeated exposures to small quantities of hepadnavirus induce molecularly evident but serologically silent infection that does not culminate in hepatitis or generate immune protection. The findings imply that the HBV-specific T cell response encountered in the absence of serological markers of infection likely reflects ongoing occult infection. Multiple exposures to small amounts of hepatitis B virus (HBV) are of frequent occurrence in both occupational and nonoccupational settings (1-6). Routine vaccination against HBV prevents infection potentially caused by such exposure. However, consequences of repeated contacts with small quantities of HBV of individuals not immunoprotected against the virus are not recognized and it is unknown whether such exposure can culminate in a serologically detectable infection and hepatitis.The data acquired from the woodchuck model of hepatitis B showed that exposure to a singular low dose (i.e., Ͻ1,000 virions) of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV), which is a close relative of HBV (7-9), establishes serologically undetectable infection in which the virus genome and its replication are detectable when nucleic acid amplification assays of enhanced sensitivity are applied (10-13). This molecularly evident but immunovirologically silent infection was designated primary occult infection (POI) (12,14). POI was originally uncovered in offspring born to woodchuck dams convalescent from experimental acute hepatitis (AH) (15). In these animals, WHV DNA was identified in serum and in the immune system but not in the liver and virus replication progressed at a very low level ...

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“…Dolayısıyla OBİ'nin; vakaların önemli bir kısımında viral transkripsiyon ve replikasyonu kontrol eden immün denetim mekanizmalarının genetik, epigenetik ve çevresel faktörlerlerden kaynaklanan aksaklıklar ve yetersizlikler sonucu bu denetimin kesintiye uğraması ile ilişkili olabileceği, ayrıca olası bazı tersinir özel koşulların da viral replikasyonu ve tipik HBsAg pozitif aşikâr HBV enfeksiyonunu teşvik edebileceği öne sürülmektedir (18,29 (38,39). Kan donörlerinde OBİ prevelansı, HBV endemi oranlarına bağlı olarak gelişmiş ülkelerde %1'in altında buna karşın az gelişmiş ve gelişmekte olan ülkelerde ise %17 gibi yüksek düzeylere varan oranlarda, anti-HCV pozitif kan donörlerinde %0-15, HIV enfekte bireylerde ise %0-89 oranında rapor edilmektedir (40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48). OBİ prevelansının enfeksiyonun parenteral bulaş riski olan gruplarda daha yüksek olması beklenir, keza bu açıdan yapılan bir çalışmada damar içi uyuşturucu bağımlıları ile hemofili hastalarında OBİ prevelansı sırasıyla %45 ve %51 oranında tespit edilmiştir (49,50).…”

Section: Obi̇'de Moleküler Mekanizmalarunclassified

Okült Hepati̇t B Vi̇rus Enfeksi̇yonu: Moleküler Mekani̇zmalar Ve Kli̇ni̇k Önemi̇

Çakal

2017

İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi

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Occult Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection (OBI) is defined as the long-lasting persistence of HBV genomes in the hepatocytes of individuals testing negative for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) by currently available assays and usually for serum HBV DNA. OBI is considered as the possible phase in the natural history of chronic HBV infection that the host's immune surveillance and epigenetic mechanisms are likely involved. Clinical impact of OB is that it can be transmitted (i.e., through blood transfusion, by liver organ transplantation, hemodialysis and parturition) causing classic forms of hepatitis B in newly infected individuals. The development of an immunosuppressive status may induce OBI reactivation and development of acute and often severe hepatitis. OBI can favor the progression of liver fibrosis. Also OBİ infection has been hypothesized to be a significant risk factor contributing to the progression of chronic liver diseases (CLD) with increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which may lead to an increased progression of liver diseases. Although OBI is considered a phase in the natural history of HBV, the molecular mechanisms leading to its occurrence and its contribution to HCC development are yet poorly understood. In this review, it is aimed to examine clinical importance, epidemiological aspects and laboratory diagnosis of OBI in recent literature.

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Prevalence of Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in a General Adult Population in Korea

Cited by 46 publications

References 48 publications

Impacts of Vaccination on Hepatitis B Viral Infections in Korea over a 25-Year Period

Impacts of Vaccination on Hepatitis B Viral Infections in Korea over a 25-Year Period

Repeated Exposure to Trace Amounts of Woodchuck Hepadnavirus Induces Molecularly Evident Infection and Virus-Specific T Cell Response in the Absence of Serological Infection Markers and Hepatitis

Okült Hepati̇t B Vi̇rus Enfeksi̇yonu: Moleküler Mekani̇zmalar Ve Kli̇ni̇k Önemi̇

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