الفهرس 
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Abstract
Occult hepatitis B infection is one of the most challenging topics in the field of viral hepatitis. The frequency of detection of OBI is directly dependent on the sensitivity of assays and type of HBV markers used in this assay. HBV transmission was reported from donors in the ”window period” through HBcAb detection, but, in Egypt, still HBV screening in blood banks relies only on detection of HbsAg. So, hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a major risk of transfusion-transmitted infection.
The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of occult HBV infection in sero-negative HbsAg blood donors in Menoufia University blood bank and to assess the possibility of infection by sero-negative blood.
Two hundreds and seventy nine blood donors were enrolled for the study from blood bank unit department of Menoufia University Hospitals. They were chosen clinically free from all diseases included in blood bank questionnaire and having negative results for HCV, HIV, Syphilis and HBsAg.
Samples collected from our chosen donors and tested for liver enzymes (ALT and AST) were estimated according to the international federation of clinical chemistry (IFCC) and HBV core antibody using Enzyme- Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELIZA) kit (BIORAD).
Considering laboratory results we found that of the whole study group, six (6) of them were Anti-core positive, but the remaining 273 donors were of negative laboratory results. This meant that the prevalence of positive ones was (2.2%).
Considering positive and negative core antibodies, there was no significant difference regarding the age, but There was significant difference between them regarding AST laboratory results (P <0.05). Besides, we found a highly significant difference between positive and negative donors regarding ALT laboratory results (P <0.001).
For evaluation of AST as diagnostic method for HBV core antibody, we found that, the cut of point was (33.5). The sensitivity of the test and its specificity were (100%) and (62.9%) correspondingly. The PPV was (6%) but the NPV was (100%) with the accuracy was (63%).
For evaluation of ALT as diagnostic method for HBV core antibody, we found that, the cut of point was (24.5). The sensitivity of the test and its specificity were (100%) and (80.2%) correspondingly. The PPV was (3%) but the NPV was (100%) with the accuracy was (36%)