ArticleCurrent issues in molecular biology2026
Molecular Characterization of Atypical Hepatitis B Serological Profiles in HBsAg-Negative Women of Childbearing Age in Gabon.
Article in Current issues in molecular biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Two Diagnostic Challenges in Hepatitis B Serology: Low HBsAg S/CO Values and Isolated Anti-HBc Positivity.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) and mutated forms of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) represent diagnostic challenges, especially in individuals with atypical serological profiles. This study explores the molecular characteristics of HBV in HBsAg-negative women of childbearing age exhibiting atypical serological markers. We selected 100 HBsAg-negative sera from a cohort of 433 women aged 15-45 years. Additional HBV serological markers (anti-HBc, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe) were assessed. Real-time PCR targeting the HBV S gene was performed on samples presenting atypical profiles. Socio-demographic and clinical correlates were also analyzed. Atypical serological profiles were identified in 23% of HBsAg-negative women, including combinations such as isolated anti-HBe positivity and anti-HBe with anti-HBc. Among these, none tested positive for HBV DNA by real-time PCR. Atypical profiles were more prevalent among women attending antenatal consultations and those aged under 25 years. The absence of detectable HBV DNA suggests either very low viral loads, resolved past infections, or serological artifacts due to mutated HBV strains. The high frequency of atypical serological patterns among HBsAg-negative women underscores the need to refine molecular diagnostic tools for detecting occult or mutated HBV. Further sequencing and genotypic characterization studies are warranted.
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.