ArticleBMC infectious diseases2025
Hepatitis B virus exposure among adolescents living with HIV: a cross-sectional study of samples referred to the national viral load and early infant diagnosis reference laboratory in Uganda.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAdolescents living with HIV are vulnerable to hepatitis B coinfection. However, the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) exposure and the persistence of childhood vaccine-induced HBV antibodies in this population remain unclear. This study assessed HBV exposure and the prevalence of protective Hepatitis B Surface Antibody (HBsAb) levels among adolescents living with HIV referred for viral load testing at the national reference laboratory in Uganda.
methodsA cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 405 archived plasma samples collected between January and September 2023 at Uganda National Health Laboratories and Diagnostic Services (UNHLDs). HBV exposure was determined via a 5-panel Vaxpert HBV combo cassette, and protective HBsAb levels were quantified via the Roche Cobas e411 system.
resultsThe mean age of the participants was 15 ± 2.7 years, with 52.5% (212/405) being female. Among them, 8.7% (35/405) had an unsuppressed HIV viral load. The following HBV markers were detected: HBsAg (2.0%), HBsAb (24/405, 5.9%), HBeAg (2.2%), HBcAb (1.2%), and HBeAb (3.45%). Overall, 7% (28/405) had evidence of HBV exposure, including 11 (2.7%) with acute infection, 13 (3.2%) with chronic infection, and 4 (1%) with resolved infection. Vaccination-induced immunity (HBsAb-positive only) was found in 4.9% (20/405) of the participants. Of the 301 samples tested for HBsAb titers using the Cobas E411 system, only 49 (16.3%) had protective levels (≥ 10 IU/L), with a median titer of 77.7 IU/L (IQR: 18.43-589.2). All 24 samples that were qualitatively HBsAb-positive on the Vaxpert rapid test had protective titers, 21 of which were > 100 IU/L. Among 277 samples that were HBsAb-negative by the rapid test, 25 (9%) showed protective titers upon quantitative testing, highlighting potential false-negative results and suggesting limited sensitivity of the rapid assay. All the demographic and clinical factors available and assessed in this study population were not significantly associated with HBsAb levels.
conclusionsThe low prevalence of protective HBsAb levels and evidence of HBV exposure highlight the ongoing risk of HBV infection in this population. Our findings suggest a need for Uganda to establish specific guidelines for HBV risk assessment, screening, and management among people living with HIV.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.