Hepatitis B Virus Core Antibody and Anti-HBs Status of HBsAg Negative Persons Working in a Diagnostic Center in Sylhet, Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a significant global health concern. Exploring the serological markers of HBV infection, particularly the core antibody (anti-HBc), in HBsAg-negative individuals is crucial for understanding their prior exposure to the virus and possible risk of transmissibility.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Gastroenterology, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, Sylhet, Bangladesh, from July 2022 to December 2022 to assess the frequency of hepatitis B virus core antibody status among HBsAg-negative persons working in a diagnostic center in Sylhet, Bangladesh. In this study, 51 individuals who tested negative for HBsAg were included as the study subjects. The sample selection process utilized a purposive sampling technique, and data analysis was performed using MS Office tools.

Results: In this study, the prevalence of anti-HBc antibodies among participants was found to be 17.65%. Within the ≤30 years age group, 15% of cases exhibited reactivity, while in the >30 years age group, the reactivity was found in 27% of cases. Regarding the gender-specific distribution of anti-HBc status, among males, 12.5% had a reactive status, while among females, 36.4% exhibited reactivity.

Conclusion: In this study, among the HBsAg negative subjects, the frequency of Anti-HBc positivity was higher in the older age group and in females.  Though these associations are not statistically significant, they might provide an insight into further research in this field.

Keywords: Hepatitis B virus, HBsAg negative, Anti-HBc antibodies