AIM: To investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of "anti-HBc alone" in an unselected population of patients and employees of a university hospital in southern Germany. METHODS: All individuals with the pattern "anti-HBc alone" were registered over a time span of 82 mo. HBV-DNA was measured in serum and liver samples, and clinical charts were reviewed. RESULTS: Five hundred and fifty two individuals were "anti-HBc alone" (of 3004 anti-HBc positive individuals; 18.4%), and this pattern affected males (20.5%) more often than females (15.3%; P<0.001). HBV-DNA was detected in serum of 44 of 545 "anti-HBc alone" individuals (8.1%), and in paraffin embedded liver tissue in 16 of 39 patients tested (41.0%). There was no association between the detection of HBV genomes and the presence of biochemical, ultrasonic or histological signs of liver damage. Thirty-eight "anti-HBc alone" patients with cirrhosis or primary liver carcinoma had at least one additional risk factor. HCV-coinfection was present in 20.4% of all individuals with "anti-HBc alone" and was the only factor associated with a worse clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: In an HBV low prevalence area, no evidence is found that HBV alone causes severe liver damage in individuals with "anti-HBc alone". Recommendations for the management of these individuals are given.
AIM: To investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of "anti-HBc alone" in an unselected population of patients and employees of a university hospital in southern Germany. METHODS: All individuals with the pattern "anti-HBc alone" were registered over a time span of 82 mo. HBV-DNA was measured in serum and liver samples, and clinical charts were reviewed. RESULTS: Five hundred and fifty two individuals were "anti-HBc alone" (of 3004 anti-HBc positive individuals; 18.4%), and this pattern affected males (20.5%) more often than females (15.3%; P<0.001). HBV-DNA was detected in serum of 44 of 545 "anti-HBc alone" individuals (8.1%), and in paraffin embedded liver tissue in 16 of 39 patients tested (41.0%). There was no association between the detection of HBV genomes and the presence of biochemical, ultrasonic or histological signs of liver damage. Thirty-eight "anti-HBc alone" patients with cirrhosis or primary liver carcinoma had at least one additional risk factor. HCV-coinfection was present in 20.4% of all individuals with "anti-HBc alone" and was the only factor associated with a worse clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: In an HBV low prevalence area, no evidence is found that HBV alone causes severe liver damage in individuals with "anti-HBc alone". Recommendations for the management of these individuals are given.
Authors: M S Czuczman; A J Grillo-López; C A White; M Saleh; L Gordon; A F LoBuglio; C Jonas; D Klippenstein; B Dallaire; C Varns Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 1999-01 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: W Jilg; B Hottenträger; K Weinberger; K Schlottmann; E Frick; A Holstege; J Schölmerich; K D Palitzsch Journal: J Med Virol Date: 2001-02 Impact factor: 2.327
Authors: Giovanni B Gaeta; Gianfranca Stornaiuolo; Davide F Precone; Salvatore Lobello; Maria Chiaramonte; Tommaso Stroffolini; Giuseppe Colucci; Mario Rizzetto Journal: J Hepatol Date: 2003-12 Impact factor: 25.083
Authors: Audrey L French; Anna Hotton; Mary Young; Marek Nowicki; Michael Augenbraun; Kathryn Anastos; Eric Seaberg; William Rosenberg; Marion G Peters Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Date: 2016-07-01 Impact factor: 3.731
Authors: Markus Peck-Radosavljevic; Johann Deutsch; Peter Ferenci; Ivo Graziadei; Harald Hofer; Heidemarie Holzmann; Wolf-Dietrich Huber; Herman Laferl; Andreas Maieron; Rudolf Stauber; Wolfgang Vogel Journal: Wien Klin Wochenschr Date: 2010-05-04 Impact factor: 1.704
Authors: Audrey L French; Eva Operskalski; Marion Peters; Howard D Strickler; Phyllis C Tien; Gerald B Sharp; Marshall J Glesby; Mary Young; Michael Augenbraun; Eric Seaberg; Andrea Kovacs Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2007-04-05 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Ma Teresa Pérez-Rodríguez; Bernardo Sopeña; Manuel Crespo; Alberto Rivera; Teresa González del Blanco; Antonio Ocampo; César Martínez-Vázquez Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2009-03-14 Impact factor: 5.742
Authors: Audrey L French; Michael Y Lin; Charlesnika T Evans; Lorie Benning; Marshall J Glesby; Mary A Young; Eva A Operskalski; Michael Augenbraun; Marion Peters Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2009-07-01 Impact factor: 9.079