Detection of occult hepatitis B virus infection among subjects with isolated hepatitis B core antibodies: Results from a 3-year survey in an Italian tertiary-care hospital

•In the study population the seroprevalence is 4.6% for HBsAg and 11% for anti-HBcAg.•The isolated anti-HBcAg status shows an age-dependent increase in Italians.•Foreigners with isolated anti-HBcAg came mostly from Africa and Eastern Europe.•HBV DNA assay is scarcely prescribed for subjects with isolated anti-HBcAg status.•Among isolated anti-HBcAg subjects, 14.8% are positive for the prescribed HBV DNA.