{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,1]],"date-time":"2026-10-01T21:32:17Z","timestamp":1790890337388,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,17]],"date-time":"2025-02-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1739750400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Tertiary Education Trust Fund, abbreviated (TETFUND) Institutional-Based research (IBR) grant, Batch 7, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a significant global health concern, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where endemicity is high. Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) presents a unique challenge to transfusion safety, as HBV DNA may persist in HBsAg-negative individuals. This study examines the prevalence of HBcAb positivity among blood donors at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, and assesses the risk of HBV transmission. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 blood donors. Samples were screened for HBsAg and HBV serological markers using a rapid assay and ELISA. HBcAb-positive samples were analyzed for HBV DNA using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Viral loads were quantified, and socio-demographic characteristics were recorded. Results: HBcAb was detected in 57 (28.5%) of the 200 donors. The most common serological pattern among donors was HBsAg-negative and HBcAb-negative (69%). Among these HBcAb-positive donors, HBV DNA was detected in three cases (1.5%), with viral loads of 753.1, 2.193 \u00d7 104, and 4.538 \u00d7 104 IU\/mL. The presence of HBV DNA in these donors confirms the risk of OBI transmission through transfusion. Socio-demographic analysis revealed that 48.5% of donors were aged 26\u201335 years, 23.5% were aged 18\u201325 years, 23% were aged 36\u201342 years, and 2.5% were either 43\u201350 or above 50 years of age, of which 99.5% were male. These findings highlight a significant prevalence of HBcAb positivity and OBI, aligning with studies in similar high-endemic settings. Conclusions: HBcAb positivity and OBI represent significant transfusion risks in endemic regions. The presence of HBV DNA in 1.5% of HBcAb-positive donors in the study population highlights the limitations of HBsAg-based screening. Incorporating nucleic acid testing (NAT) into routine blood donor screening protocols is critical to enhancing transfusion safety. Further research is needed to evaluate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of such interventions in resource-limited settings.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics15040486","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,17]],"date-time":"2025-02-17T10:26:12Z","timestamp":1739787972000},"page":"486","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Prevalence and Transfusion Risks of Occult Hepatitis B Infection Among HBcAb-Positive Blood Donors in a High-Endemic Region"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3666-3848","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ahmed Subeh","family":"Alshrari","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Laboratory Technology Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Northern Border University, Arar 91431, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5765-4580","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shuaibu Abdullahi","family":"Hudu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Basic and Clinical Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Zarqa University, Zarqa 13110, Jordan"},{"name":"Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto 840232, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sa\u2018adatu Haruna","family":"Shinkafi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto 840001, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9272-5540","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Albashir","family":"Tahir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Sa\u2019adu Zungur University, Bauchi 751105, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Halima Yunusa","family":"Raji","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto 840001, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7322-9100","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abdulgafar Olayiwola","family":"Jimoh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto 840001, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"524","DOI":"10.1038\/s41575-023-00760-9","article-title":"Global Burden of Hepatitis B Virus: Current Status, Missed Opportunities and a Call for Action","volume":"20","author":"Hsu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nat. 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