OCCULT HEPATITIS B VIRUS INFECTION AMONG HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

摘要

Occult hepatitis B (OHB) is not a new entity and there are many reports of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) evidence replication in the absence of detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and occasionally other HBV serologic markers. After introducing highly sensitive and specific tests for HBs Ag and HBV DNA, the diagnosis of OBH is easier and the importance of clinical entity of OBH is more controversial. In this issue of Hepatitis Monthly, Abu El Makarem reported the prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection in hemodialysis patients from Egypt with considering the hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Infection.