Anti-HBs positive occult hepatitis B virus carrier blood infectious in two transfusion recipients

[Guest guest]

J Hepatol. 2008 Jun;48(6):1022-5. Epub 2008 Mar 28.

Anti-HBs positive occult hepatitis B virus carrier blood infectious in two

transfusion recipients.

Levicnik-Stezinar S, Rahne-Potokar U, Candotti D, Lelie N, Allain JP.

Blood Transfusion Center of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) in blood donations is not

considered infectious when anti-HBs is present. METHODS: Four months after

transfusion of eight blood components during coronary arterial bypass surgery, a

59-year-old patient developed acute hepatitis B. A second 71-year-old patient

transfused with a red cell concentrate (RCC) from one of these donations had

early HBV infection 7months post-transfusion. Samples were tested for HBV

serological markers and HBV DNA was quantified and sequenced. RESULTS: One

implicated donation contained anti-HBc, anti-HBs (12 IU/L) and 180IU/ml of HBV

DNA. Previous and subsequent samples contained 3-10 times lower viral load and

slightly variable anti-HBs. Two previous donations did not cause HBV infection.

Recipients of the FFP and RCC from the index donation were both HBV infected and

carried genotype D strains with sequences identical to the donor strain.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite anti-HBs, an OBI carrier transmitted HBV to two

immunocompetent transfusion recipients.

PMID: 18436328 [PubMed - in process]

_________________________________________________________________

Now you can invite friends from Facebook and other groups to join you on Windows

Live™ Messenger. Add now.

https://www.invite2messenger.net/im/?source=TXT_EML_WLH_AddNow_Now