Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and Viral Load Profile Among Patients Attending A Tertiary Care Hospital in Delhi NCR Region: A Cross-Sectional Study
Keywords:
Hepatitis B virus; HBsAg; Seroprevalence; Viral load; HBeAg; Delhi NCR; Real-time PCR.Abstract
Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a significant public health challenge in India, with an estimated 3–4% of the population chronically infected. The Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), with its diverse population drawn from multiple states, represents an epidemiologically important catchment area for understanding HBV burden. However, comprehensive data integrating seroprevalence, serological markers of viral replication, and quantitative viral load profiling from this region remain limited.
Objectives: To determine the seroprevalence of HBsAg among patients attending a tertiary care hospital in the Delhi NCR region and to characterize the HBV DNA viral load profile in association with serological markers (HBeAg, anti-HBc IgM, anti-HBc IgG).
Materials and Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study from July 2024 to August 2025. We screened 1,500 blood samples for HBsAg using the Hepa Card rapid immunochromatographic test (J. Mitra & Co., New Delhi). HBsAg-positive samples were further evaluated for HBeAg and anti-HBc (IgM and IgG) by ELISA (Dia.Pro. Diagnostic, Italy). HBV DNA extraction was performed using QIAamp DNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, Germany), and viral load quantification was carried out using the Artus HBV RG PCR Kit on the Qiagen Rotor-Gene Q real-time PCR platform. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26.0.
Results: HBsAg seroprevalence was 3.4% (51/1,500), confirming intermediate endemicity. Males comprised 58.8% (30/51), with peak prevalence in the 42–51 years age group (21.6%). HBeAg positivity was 94.1% (48/51), indicating widespread active viral replication. Anti-HBc IgM positivity was 86.3% (44/51). Among 49 successfully tested samples, 63.3% (31/49) demonstrated high viral load (>20,000 IU/mL). Acute infections constituted 87.7% (43/49) and chronic infections 12.3% (6/49).
Conclusion: Delhi NCR demonstrates intermediate HBV endemicity with remarkably high rates of active viral replication. The majority of HBsAg-positive patients harbour substantial viral loads with concurrent hepatocellular injury, underscoring the need for early screening, viral load monitoring, and timely clinical intervention.
