Περίληψη:
The use of sensitive nucleic acid testing for hepatitis B virus in blood
donors revealed a number of HBV DNA(+) cases among HBsAg(-) donors, a
status known as occult HBV infection. The purpose of this study was the
serological and molecular characterization of occult HBV infection in
Greek blood donors. A prospective study was undertaken in order to
identify occult HBV infection cases in blood donors. As part of the
routine screening of blood donations in Greece, blood units were
screened individually by a multiplex HIV-1/HCV/HBV nucleic acid assay.
Initially reactive samples were retested with discriminatory assays. HBV
DNA(+)/HBsAg(-) samples were tested further for HBV serological markers
and HBV DNA was quantified by real-time PCR. Molecular characterization
was performed by sequencing the envelope and polymerase genes of HBV.
Preliminary screening revealed 21 occult cases with the following
patterns: anti-HBc only: 7 donors, anti-HBc/anti-HBs: 7 donors,
anti-HBc/anti-HBe: 5 donors, anti-HBc/anti-HBs/anti-HBe: 2 donors. In
all cases, the HBV DNA load was <351 IU/ml. Sequencing was successful in
10 donors (classified within genotype D) revealing several amino acid
substitutions related to diagnostic escape and antiviral resistance.
HBsAg diagnostic failure and low viral replication in occult HBV
infection carriers could possibly be attributed to multiple changes in
envelope and polymerase regions, respectively. J. Med. Virol 81:815-825,
2009. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Συγγραφείς:
Katsoulidou, Antigoni
Paraskevis, Dimitrios
Magiorkinis,
Emmanouil
Moschidis, Zissis
Haida, Catherine
Hatzitheodorou,
Eleni
Varaklioti, Agoritsa
Karafoulidou, Anastasia and
Hatzitaki, Maria
Kavallierou, Lilian
Mouzaki, Athanasia and
Andrioti, Evaggelia
Veneti, Chrysanthi
Kaperoni, Athanasia and
Zervou, Eleftheria
Politis, Constantina
Hatzakis, Angelos
