Occult Hepatitis B virus Infection (OBI) predominated by genotype D among chronic liver disease patients: The first report from Odisha, Eastern India

Detection of Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) has higher significance for treatment and management. There is no information available about the OBI and its genotype associated with chronic hepatitis patients in Odisha, India. We aimed to determine the association of OBI and its genotype among the chronic hepatitis patients in Odisha. In a hospital based study, 175 serum samples of chronic hepatitis patients were screened for Hepatitis surface antigen (HBsAg). All the HBsAg - negative samples were tested for hepatitis B core antibodies (HBcAb). HBcAb-positive samples were tested further for Hepatitis surface antibodies (HBsAb), hepatitis B virus HBV-DNA and HBV genotyping. Of the 89 HBsAg negative samples, 79 (88.8%) were found positive for HBcAb and these patients were presumed to have OBI. Among the total HBcAb positive samples, 22 (27.8%) were positive and 57 (72.2%) were negative for HBsAb. Detection of HBV-DNA from 45 out of 79 HBcAb positive samples (57.0%) yielded positive results for OBI which was negative for HBsAb. Genotyping of all hepatitis B virus showed that all 45 (100%) were genotype-D. Detection of OBI among chronic hepatitis patients suggests testing for OBI for management and treatment.