Occult hepatitis B virus infection.

Occult hepatitis B virus infection affects over 40% of individuals with isolated anti-HBc, posing significant transmission and reactivation risks.

• Why it matters: Understanding OBI is crucial because it often remains undetected due to low HBV DNA levels, yet it can cause serious health issues and transmission through blood transfusions or organ transplants.
• What they did: The review summarizes epidemiology, diagnosis, mechanisms, and clinical management of OBI, highlighting the challenges of detecting fluctuating HBV DNA and the importance of combining serological markers with serum HBV DNA testing.
• The result: Enhanced knowledge of OBI enables better diagnosis, risk assessment, and management strategies, ultimately reducing transmission, reactivation, and progression to liver cancer.