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Peer-reviewedCC BYViruses

Prevalence of Occult Infection by Hepatitis B Virus in Liver Biopsies in Clinical Practice.

  • Diana Horta1,2
  • Angels Ramos3
  • Raimon Rifà1
  • Carme Loras1,2
  • Marcos Jimenez-Sena3
  • Agnes Raga1
  • Maria Esteve-Comas1,2
  1. 1Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Universitari Mútua Terrassa, Universitat de Barcelona, 08221 Terrassa, Spain.
  2. 2Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
  3. 3Department of Microbiology, Catlab, Parc Logístic de Salut, Viladecavalls, 08232 Barcelona, Spain.
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Abstract

Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is defined by detectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in liver tissue in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and remains insufficiently characterized in low-endemic European settings. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of OBI using direct HBV DNA detection in liver tissue in a real-world cohort of patients undergoing diagnostic liver biopsy. This observational study included consecutive HBsAg-negative patients who underwent liver biopsy between 2020 and 2023. HBV DNA in liver tissue was quantified by real-time PCR, and clinical and serological data were collected. A total of 86 patients were included. OBI was identified in 4 patients (4.7%). All OBI cases were anti-HBc-positive, and two were also anti-HBs-positive. No cases of seronegative OBI were detected. OBI was observed across different underlying liver disease etiologies, including viral, metabolic, autoimmune, and cholestatic conditions. In conclusion, OBI was infrequent in this cohort and consistently associated with anti-HBc seropositivity. These findings suggest that anti-HBc may help identify individuals with prior HBV exposure in whom occult infection can be detected in liver tissue in low-prevalence settings.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{horta2026prevalence,
  title = {{Prevalence of Occult Infection by Hepatitis B Virus in Liver Biopsies in Clinical Practice.}},
  author = {Diana Horta and Angels Ramos and Raimon Rifà and Carme Loras and Marcos Jimenez-Sena and Agnes Raga and Maria Esteve-Comas},
  journal = {Viruses},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3390/v18101114},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42944034},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Prevalence of Occult Infection by Hepatitis B Virus in Liver Biopsies in Clinical Practice.
AU  - Diana Horta
AU  - Angels Ramos
AU  - Raimon Rifà
AU  - Carme Loras
AU  - Marcos Jimenez-Sena
AU  - Agnes Raga
AU  - Maria Esteve-Comas
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/08
JO  - Viruses
DO  - 10.3390/v18101114
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42944034
AB  - Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is defined by detectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in liver tissue in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and remains insufficiently characterized in low-endemic European settings. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of OBI using direct HBV DNA detection in liver tissue in a real-world cohort of patients undergoing diagnostic liver biopsy. This observational study included consecutive HBsAg-negative patients who underwent liver biopsy between 2020 and 2023. HBV DNA in liver tissue was quantified by real-time PCR, and clinical and serological data were collected. A total of 86 patients were included. OBI was identified in 4 patients (4.7%). All OBI cases were anti-HBc-positive, and two were also anti-HBs-positive. No cases of seronegative OBI were detected. OBI was observed across different underlying liver disease etiologies, including viral, metabolic, autoimmune, and cholestatic conditions. In conclusion, OBI was infrequent in this cohort and consistently associated with anti-HBc seropositivity. These findings suggest that anti-HBc may help identify individuals with prior HBV exposure in whom occult infection can be detected in liver tissue in low-prevalence settings.
SN  - 1999-4915
ER  -