Table 3 Number of subjects and inclusion criteria

1. Anti-HBs and anti-HBc positive or anti-HBs positive and no vaccination history;

2. HBV-DNA negative, HDAg negative and/or anti-HDV negative;

3. Anti HCV and HCV RNA negative;

4. ALT <40 IU/L and AST <45 IU/L at enrollment; and

5. Age ≥ 40.

Group B: Persistent asymptomatic HBV infection (n = 400)

1. HBsAg and anti-HBc positive;

2. Anti-HCV and HCV RNA negative;

3. Anti-HDV and/or HDAg negative;

4. At least 1 sibling or parent HBsAg positive;

5 ALT <40 and AST <45 IU/L for at least 5 years;

6. No clinical symptoms of hepatitis;

7. No clinical liver cirrhosis; and

8. Age ≥ 40.

Group C: Chronic hepatitis B (n = 400)

1. HBsAg and anti-HBc positive for at least 6 months;

2. Anti-HCV and HCV RNA negative;

3. Anti-HDV and/or HDAg negative;

4. At least 1 sibling or parent HBsAg positive;

5. ALT and/or AST levels greater than 2 times upper limits of normal range for testing hospital before or current;

6. No clinical evidence of liver cirrhosis;

7. Age ≥ 40.

Group D: HBV-related decompensated liver cirrhosis (n = 400)

1. HBsAg and anti-HBc positive;

2. Anti-HCV and HCV RNA positive;

3. Anti-HDV and/or HDAg negative; and

4. Liver cirrhosis with clinical presentation of gastroesophageal varication (3°) or a history of bleeding, or ascites, or edema, or encephalopathy, or serum Albumin < 35 g/L, total bilirubin > 35 μmol/L.

Group E: HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 400)

1. HBsAg and anti-HBc positive;

2. Anti-HCV and HCV RNA positive;

3. Anti-HDV and/or HDAg negative; and

4. HCC confirmed by biopsy or elevated AFP and sonography or CT or MRI.

Group F: Hypernormal control group (n = 200)

1. Anti-HBs, HBsAg and anti-HBc negative and no HB vaccination history;

2. Anti-HCV and HCV RNA;

3. Anti-HDV and/or HDAg negative;

4. ALT <40 and AST <45 IU/L; and

5. Age ≥ 40.