Seroepidemiology and occult hepatitis B virus infection in young adults in Banjarmasin, Indonesia

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a public health problem in Indonesia. There has been limited data regarding HBV infection in young adult population. This study aimed to evaluate the seroepidemiology of HBV infection and characterize occult HBV variants in healthy young adults in Banjarmasin, Indonesia, who were born before the implementation of the universal infant hepatitis B vaccination. Serum samples of 195 healthy young adults were tested for HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs. The prevalence of HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs was 9 (4.6%), 62 (31.8%), and 96 (49.2%), respectively. Seventy four (37.9%) samples were seronegative for all three parameters, indicating the susceptibility to HBV infection. Among 66 samples positive for HBsAg and/or anti-HBc, 13 (19.7%) were HBV DNA positive; of these, four were HBsAg positive and nine were HBsAg negative, and categorized as occult HBV infection. Most occult HBV cases had high-level anti-HBs (>100 IU/l), suggesting that blood with positive anti-HBs and anti-HBc could not be regarded as noninfectious. Thirteen amino acid substitutions were identified: T126S, P127S, Q129R, T131N, M133T, and Y161S in the HBsAg-positive group; P120T, T126I, G145S, Y161F, E164V, and V168F in the occult-HBV group; and T143S in both groups. More studies are required to provide data on the prevalence and characteristics of mutants to ensure reliable diagnosis. The occult HBV infection, combined with the HBsAg prevalence, could indicate the high HBV carriage among young adults in this area. The high percentage of individuals susceptible to HBV infection reiterates the need for catch-up immunization strategies targeted at young adults.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Among People Attending Medical Diagnostic Laboratories in Neyshabur, Northeast of Iran, During Years 2011 to 2015

“…The adjusted seroprevalence of HBsAg in South Korea in 2009 was 4%, which was in agreement with the current study (15). The prevalence of HBsAg in young adults in Banjarmasin, Indonesia was 4.6% (28). Recently a report indicated that a low dose of RPB5-mediating protein (RMP) could inhibit HBV transcription and replication (29).…”

Prevalence of Hepatitis B Serological Markers Among People Who Referred to a Great Laboratory in Neyshabur, Northeast of Iran

“…Similar to our study, HBsAg positivity was higher among older people (12). Additionally, the prevalence of HBsAg in young adults in Banjarmasin, Indonesia, was 4.6% (13). Furthermore, a comprehensive study in Singapore showed that the prevalence of HBsAg seropositivity was 3.6% in 2010 (14).…”

Overt and occult hepatitis B virus infection among treatment‐naïve HIV‐infected patients in Brazil

“…In addition, the Y100C mutation was also detected in HBsAg-positive patients analyzed here and elsewhere [Santos et al, 2004]. As previously reported, the T131N mutation has been associated with failure to detect HBsAg by immunoassays and immune escape to HBV vaccine/ immunoglobulin [Svicher et al, 2011;Darmawan et al, 2015]. The patient V-68 showed, in addition to Y100C and T131N, the D144A substitution, which has also been associated with vaccine escape or immunoglobulin therapy failure, diagnostic problems, and OBI [Huang et al, 2012;Ma and Wang, 2012].…”