Coexistence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) and Heterologous Subtype-Specific Antibodies to HBsAg among Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Abstract

HBsAg and anti-HBs with an unmatched specificity coexisted in 4.9% of patients. The presence of anti-HBs was not associated with the appearance of specific HBV mutants in patients with chronic infection. Apparently, the presence of anti-HBs in patients with chronic HBV infection did not lead to a selection of HBV escape mutants.