Impact of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen on the clinical course of hepatitis C virus carriers in a hyperendemic area in Japan: A community-based cohort study

Aim Subjects positive for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAb) and negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) are considered to have occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of occult HBV infection on aggravation of the clinical course in hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers.