Letters To The Editor
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World J Gastroenterol. Oct 21, 2009; 15(39): 4986-4987
Published online Oct 21, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.4986
Controversies about occult hepatitis B virus infection
Ersan Ozaslan, Tugrul Purnak
Ersan Ozaslan, Tugrul Purnak, Department of Gastroenterology, Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara 06100, Turkey
Author contributions: Ozaslan E and Purnak T contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Ersan Ozaslan, Associate Professor of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara 06100, Turkey. er72@hotmail.com
Telephone: +90-312-2873882 Fax: +90-312-3125026
Received: July 13, 2009
Revised: August 31, 2009
Accepted: September 7, 2009
Published online: October 21, 2009
Abstract

We read with great interest the paper written by Shi et al, reviewing the molecular characteristics and stages of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We think that some points in the definition of occult HBV infection (OBI) and their conclusion about the management of OBI may need further considerations.

Keywords: Occult hepatitis B, Definition, Reactivation, Management