Table 1 Characteristics of the included studies
From: Prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection in Egypt: a systematic review with meta-analysis
last name of the first author (publication year) | Agea | Region | Population | Study period | Number of participants recruited to study | Number of participants tested for HBV DNA | OBI cases | Prevalence (%) | HBV-DNA detection technique |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A: Studies that report OBI among HBsAg negative population | |||||||||
 Ismail (2010) [16] | 20–72 | Menoufia | Patients on hemodialysis | – | 116 | 116 | 6 | 5.17 | RT-PCR |
 Abu El Makarem (2012) [17] | 48.1 ± 10.5 | Minia and Assiut, | Patients on hemodialysis | 2009 | 145 | 145 | 6 | 4.14 | Nested PCR and RT-PCR |
 Saad El-Dine (2013) [18] | 54 ± 11.8 | Giza | Patients on hemodialysis | 2009 | 32 | 32 | 23 | 71.88 | Nested PCR |
 Mandour (2015) [19] | 12–76 | The Suez Canal region | Patients on hemodialysis | – | 165 | 165 | 3 | 1.82 | Nested PCR |
 Esmail (2016) [20] | 29–63 | Minia | Patients on hemodialysis | – | 144 | 50 | 12 | 24.00 | RT-PCR |
 Zaki (2015) [21] | 26–65 | Mansoura | Patients on hemodialysis | 2013 | 96 | 96 | 18 | 18.75 | Conventional PCR |
 Helaly (2015) [22] | 33–63 | Alexandria | Patients on hemodialysis | 2012 | 100 | 100 | 32 | 32.00 | RT-PCR and nested PCR |
 Mohamed (2020) [23] | 25–78 | Sharkia | Patients on hemodialysis | – | 40 | 40 | 1 | 2.5 | RT-PCR |
 Mohamed (2020) [24] | 3–17 | Minia | Multi-transfused children | 2013–2014 | 45 | 45 | 27 | 60.00 | Nested PCR |
 Shaker (2012) [25] | – | Cairo | Multi-transfused patients | 2008–2010 | 80 | 80 | 26 | 32.50 | RT-PCR |
 Said (2009) [26] | – | Cairo | Multi-transfused children |  | 100 | 100 | 21 | 21.00 | Nested PCR |
 El Sheredy (2015) [27] | – | Alexandria | Multi-transfused patients | 2013 | 60 | 60 | 32 | 53.33 | RT-PCR |
 Emara (2010) [28] | 19–59 | Sharkia | Patients with chronic HCV infection | – | 155 | 155 | 6 | 3.87 | RT-PCR |
 Daef (2017) [29] | 45.0 ± 8.0 | Assiut | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2015–2016 | 30 | 30 | 2 | 6.67 | Conventional PCR |
 El-Ghitany (2013) [30] | 34.88 ± 8.76 | Alexandria | Patients with chronic HCV infection | – | 254 | 254 | 8 | 3.15 | Semi-nested PCR |
 Omar (2017) [31] | 52 ± 7.2 | Suez Canal | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2014–2015 | 200 | 200 | 17 | 8.50 | RT-PCR |
 El-Sherif (2009) [32] | 46.6 ± 11.7 | Cairo | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2005–2006 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 0.00 | RT-PCR |
 El-Sherif (2012) [33] | 22–48 | Assiut | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2010 | 220 | 50 | 10 | 20.00 | RT-PCR |
 Mahmoud (2016) [34] | 20–60 | Alexandria | Patients with chronic HCV infection | – | 100 | 100 | 18 | 18.00 | Nested PCR |
 Selim (2011) [35] | 21–60 | Menoufia | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2008–2009 | 60 | 60 | 21 | 35.00 | Semi-nested PCR |
 Naga (2019) [36] | 45.2 ± 10.2 | Cairo | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2004–2005 | 111 | 111 | 13 | 11.71 | Conventional PCR |
 Thabit (2017) [37] | 25–81 | Assiut | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2014–2015 | 200 | 200 | 21 | 10.50 | Nested PCR |
 Saad El-Dine (2013) [18] | 58.2 ± 7.5 | Giza | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2009 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0.00 | Nested PCR |
 El-Maraghy (2015) [38] | 44.5 ± 9.8 | Suez canal | Patients with chronic HCV infection | – | 50 | 50 | 3 | 6.00 | Conventional PCR |
 Sheneef (2012) [39] | 22–59 | Sohag | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2011 | 60 | 60 | 8 | 13.33 | RT-PCR |
 Taha (2013) [40] | 49.78 ± 5.04 | Cairo | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2012–2013 | 20 | 20 | 2 | 10.00 | Nested PCR |
 Mandour (2015) [19] | 17–56 | The Suez Canal region | Patients with chronic HCV infection | – | 210 | 210 | 18 | 8.57 | Nested PCR |
 El Bassuoni (2012) [41] | 30–58 | Menoufia | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2010 | 30 | 30 | 9 | 30 | RT-PCR |
 Abd-Elfatah (2013) [42] | 35–70 | Cairo | Patients with HCC | – | 100 | 86 | 20 | 23.26 | Conventional PCR |
 Hassan (2011) [43] | 55 ± 4.9 | Cairo | Patients with HCC | – | 40 | 40 | 9 | 22.50 | Nested PCR |
 Daef (2017) [29] | 57.1 ± 5.1 | Assiut | Patients with HCC | 2015–2016 | 30 | 30 | 3 | 10.00 | Conventional PCR |
 Taha (2013) [40] | 49.78 ± 5.04 | Cairo | Patients with HCC | 2012–2013 | 20 | 20 | 7 | 35.00 | Nested PCR |
 El-Maksoud (2019) [44] | 46.8–54.3 | Mansoura | Patients with HCC | 2015–2017 | 50 | 50 | 17 | 34.00 | Nested PCR |
 El-Maksoud (2019) [44] | 47–56 | Mansoura | Patients with liver cirrhosis | 2015–2017 | 50 | 50 | 13 | 26.00 | Nested PCR |
 Daef (2017) [29] | 52.4 ± 7.0 | Assiut | Patients with liver cirrhosis | 2015–2016 | 30 | 30 | 3 | 10.00 | Conventional PCR |
 Khodeir (2018) [45] | 58.5–70 | Menoufia and Cairo | Patients with liver cirrhosis | – | 55 | 44 | 2 | 4.55 | RT-PCR |
 Raouf (2014) [46] | 7 months to 16 years | Cairo | Children with cancer who have HCV positivity | 2011–2013 | 50 | 50 | 16 | 32.00 | Nested PCR |
 Raouf (2014) [46] | 7 months to 16 years | Cairo | Children with cancer who were HCV negative | 2011–2013 | 50 | 50 | 0 | 0.00 | Nested PCR |
 El-Ghitany (2013) [30] | 34.88 ± 8.76 | Alexandria | Blood donors | – | 254 | 254 | 13 | 5.12 | Semi-nested PCR |
 Atef (2019) [47] |  | Zagazig | Blood donors | 2017–2018 | 36,584 | 34,671 | 14 | 0.04 | RT-PCR |
 ALY (2020) [48] | 17–27 | Assiut | University Students | 2019 | 200 | 200 | 3 | 1.50 | RT-PCR |
 Elrashidy (2014) [49] | 4–17 | Cairo | HB-vaccinated children and adolescent | 2013–2014 | 170 | 170 | 0 | 0.00 | Nested PCR |
 Foaud (2015) [50] | 0.5–11 | Cairo | Children, born to HBsAg-positive mothers | 2012–2014 | 64 | 64 | 1 | 1.56 | RT-PCR |
B: Studies that report OBI among HBsAg negative/anti-HBc positive population | |||||||||
 Said (2013) [51] | – | Cairo | Blood donors | – | 3167 | 303 | 52 | 17.16 | RT-PCR |
 Antar (2010) [52] | 21·7 ± 2·3 | – | Blood donors | 2007–2008 | 1026 | 80 | 5 | 6.3 | RT-PCR |
 El-Zayadi (2008) [53] | 18–54 | Cairo | Blood donors | 2005 | 760 | 78 | 9 | 11.5 | RT-PCR |
 Kishk (2015) [54] | 32.9 ± 6.1 | – | Blood donors | – | 343 | 44 | 10 | 22.7 | RT-PCR |
 AwadAllah (2014) [55] | 18 to 51 | Zagazig | Blood donors | 2013 | 94 | 94 | 6 | 6.38 | RT-PCR |
 Mahmoud (2018) [56] | – | Assiut | Blood donors | – | 300 | 62 | 9 | 14.5 | RT-PCR |
 El-Sherif (2009) [32] | 48.8 ± 9.6 | Cairo | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2005–2006 | 71 | 71 | 16 | 22.54 | RT-PCR |
 Kishk (2014) [57] | 19–59 | Ismailia | Patients with chronic HCV infection | – | 162 | 40 | 3 | 7.50 | Nested PCR |
 AwadAllah (2014) [55] | 18–51 | Zagazig | Patients with chronic HCV infection | 2013 | 50 | 13 | 2 | 15.38 | RT-PCR |
 Omar (2018) [58] | 40–67 | Ismailia | Patients with chronic HCV infection | – | 120 | 52 | 8 | 15.4 | RT-PCR |
 Hassan (2019) [59] | 57.17 ± 8.67 | Assiut | Patients with HCC | 2016–2017 | 100 | 21 | 15 | 71.43 | Conventional PCR |
 Ellakwa (2021) [60] | 25–77 | Cairo and Mansura | Patients with HCC | – | 52 | 52 | 1 | 1.92 | Nested PCR |
 Omar (2018) [58] | 46–72 | Ismailia | Patients with HCC | – | 120 | 84 | 20 | 23.8 | RT-PCR |
 Berbesh (2021) [61] | 18–60 | Cairo | Patients on hemodialysis | 2017–2018 | 100 | 8 | 2 | 25.00 | RT-PCR |
 Elbedewy (2016) [62] | 24–67 | Tanta | Patients on hemodialysis | 2015 | 90 | 17 | 7 | 41.2 | RT-PCR |
 Elkady (2017) [63] | 36.1 ± 23.1 | Sohag | Patients with hematological malignancies | 2010–2011 | 165 | 54 | 23 | 42.6 | RT-PCR |
 Elmaghloub (2017) [64] | 16–64 | Tanta | HCWs | 2014–2015 | 556 | 132 | 7 | 5.30 | Nested PCR |
 Abdelaziz (2019) [65] | 21–55 | Alexandria | HIV patients | 2017 | 197 | 35 | 7 | 20.00 | Semi-nested PCR |
 Hassan (2019) [59] | 53.2 ± 9.25 | Assiut | Patients with liver cirrhosis | 2016–2017 | 100 | 19 | 11 | 57.89 | Conventional PCR |