Raouf H.E.Yassin A.S.Megahed S.A.Ashour M.S.Mansour T.M.Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyFaculty of PharmacyModern Sciences and Arts UniversityGizaEgypt; Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyFaculty of PharmacyCairo UniversityKasr El-Aini St.Cairo11562Egypt; Cancer Biology DepartmentNational Cancer InstituteCairo UniversityCairoEgypt2020-01-092020-01-09201513520504https://doi.org/10.1111/jvh.12260PubMed ID 24754376https://t.ly/0EwylScopusOccult hepatitis B infection is characterized by the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the serum in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in Egypt is among the highest in the world. In this study, we aim at analysing the rates of occult HBV infections among HCV paediatric cancer patients in Egypt. The prevalence of occult HBV was assessed in two groups of paediatric cancer patients (HCV positive and HCV negative), in addition to a third group of paediatric noncancer patients, which was used as a general control. All groups were negative for HBsAg and positive for HCV antibody. HBV DNA was detected by nested PCR and real-time PCR. HCV was detected by real-time PCR. Sequencing was carried out in order to determine HBV genotypes to all HBV patients as well as to detect any mutation that might be responsible for the occult phenotype. Occult hepatitis B infection was observed in neither the non-HCV paediatric cancer patients nor the paediatric noncancer patients but was found in 31% of the HCV-positive paediatric cancer patients. All the detected HBV patients belonged to HBV genotype D, and mutations were found in the surface genome of HBV leading to occult HBV. Occult HBV infection seems to be relatively frequent in HCV-positive paediatric cancer patients, indicating that HBsAg negativity is not sufficient to completely exclude HBV infection. These findings emphasize the importance of considering occult HBV infection in HCV-positive paediatric cancer patients especially in endemic areas as Egypt. � 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.EnglishOctober University for Modern Sciences and Artsجامعة أكتوبر للعلوم الحديثة والآدابUniversity of Modern Sciences and ArtsMSA UniversityCancerEgyptHBVHCVoccult HBVpaediatricalanine aminotransferasealkaline phosphataseaspartate aminotransferasebilirubinhepatitis B antibodyhepatitis B core antigenhepatitis B surface antigenhepatitis C antibodyvirus DNAadolescentalanine aminotransferase blood levelalkaline phosphatase blood levelArticleaspartate aminotransferase blood levelbilirubin blood levelcancer patientchildchildhood diseaseclinical articlecontrolled studyEgyptianfemalehepatitis BHepatitis B virusHepatitis B virus genotype Dhepatitis CHepatitis C virushumaninfantmaleoccult hepatitis bpreschool childprevalencepriority journalreal time polymerase chain reactionschool childseroprevalencevirus detectionvirus loadbloodchemistrychronic hepatitis CclassificationcomplicationDNA sequenceEgyptgeneticsgenotypehepatitis Bisolation and purificationneoplasmpolymerase chain reactionAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolDNA, ViralEgyptFemaleGenotypeHepatitis BHepatitis B Surface AntigensHepatitis B virusHepatitis C AntibodiesHepatitis C, ChronicHumansMaleNeoplasmsPolymerase Chain ReactionReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionSequence Analysis, DNASeroepidemiologic StudiesArticlehttps://doi.org/10.1111/jvh.12260PubMed ID 24754376