Uncovering silent carriers: Hematological insights and viral burden in incidentally detected hepatitis B virus infection.

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) remains a global public health challenge, affecting over 296 million people, many of whom are asymptomatic. Incidentally diagnosed carriers provide a critical window for early intervention and prevention. Understanding their hematological profile and viral burden can help inform risk assessment and clinical management.

AIM: To evaluate hematological parameters and HBV viral load in incidentally detected asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen positive patients during routine health screenings.

METHODS

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted from June 2024 to March 2025 at Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre a tertiary care hospital in Pune, Maharashtra, India, involving 100 hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients and 20 healthy controls. Hematological and liver function parameters were assessed, and quantitative HBV DNA analysis was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analysis was conducted using GraphPad Prism v8.0.

RESULTS

Marked variations were detected in hemoglobin levels (P < 0.0001), percentage of neutrophils (P = 0.0006), percentage of lymphocytes (P = 0.0031), serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase activity (P = 0.0013), and alanine aminotransferase levels (P = 0.0001) when comparing HBV-infected individuals with the control group. Conversely, differences in total leukocyte count, percentage of monocytes, percentage of eosinophils, platelet count, total bilirubin, and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase values were not statistically significant. Viral load > 2000 IU/mL was found in 17 patients, and < 2000 IU/mL in 24 patients. Viral load positively correlated with conjugated bilirubin, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase, and negatively with albumin and the albumin-globulin ratio.

CONCLUSION

Incidentally detected HBV infections present an opportunity for early disease detection. Hematological and viral markers can guide clinical decisions. Routine screening and contact tracing are essential strategies to control HBV transmission and progression.