KRT88P and hepatitis B virus infection: We previously reported rates of 1.4% and 0.33% HBsAg positivity among the general population and blood donation volunteers, respectively, in Mashhad, the capital city of Razavi Khorasan province, northeastern Iran.21,22 On the other hand, 8.5% of HBsAg non-reactive BDs in this city showed anti-HBc seroreactivity; however, no cases of occult hepatitis B were detected among anti-HBC-positive BDs.23 We aimed to determine the rate of anti-HBC seropositivity among HbsAg seronegative donors in this region and HBV DNA positivity irrespective of serum anti-HBc status.