High-Frequency Notable HBV Mutations Identified in Blood Donors With Occult Hepatitis B Infection From Heyuan City of Southern China.

Background: All Chinese blood centers have implemented mini pool (MP) HBV nucleic acid testing (NAT) together with HBsAg ELISA in routine donor screening since 2015. The prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) in donors from different regions varies, and the molecular characterization of the HBV DNA and clinical outcomes of these OBIs remain largely unexplored.

Methods: Blood donations from Heyuan city in Southern China were screened by HBsAg ELISA and HBV MP8 NAT.