TY - JOUR T1 - Molecular investigation of occult hepatitis B virus infection in a reference center in Northern Brazil JO - The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases T2 - AU - Araújo,Suellen dos Reis AU - Malheiros,Andreza Pinheiro AU - Sarmento,Vânia Pinto AU - Nunes,Heloisa Marceliano AU - Freitas,Pedro Eduardo Bonfim SN - 14138670 M3 - 10.1016/j.bjid.2022.102367 DO - 10.1016/j.bjid.2022.102367 UR - https://www.bjid.org.br/en-molecular-investigation-occult-hepatitis-b-articulo-S1413867022000551 AB - The goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence of occult HBV infection in a reference center for the Northern Brazil from 2005 to 2015 and to identify mutations associated with occult hepatitis B. Molecular analysis was performed on 110 serum samples in which anti-HBc was the only positive serological marker. Regions of the HBV genome were amplified by polymerase chain reaction to detect HBV DNA. A prevalence of 4.1% (793/18,889) for anti-HBc alone was identified. Molecular analysis revealed a prevalence of occult HBV infection of 0.04%. HBV DNA detected were identified in individuals who underwent hemodialysis, infected with the hepatitis C virus and from area of high endemicity for HBV. Direct DNA nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis identified that genotypes A and D and mutations E164D, I195M, P217L and P120S were associated with occult HBV infection in the S gene. This study contributed with epidemiological and molecular information on Northern Brazil samples with a suggestive profile of occult HBV infection in addition to reinforcing the importance of molecular diagnosis in this type of infection. ER -