The Effect of Anti-HBc Detection in Egyptian Blood Donors Negative for HBsAg in Reducing the Risk of Transfusion Associated HBV Infection | ||||
Suez Canal University Medical Journal | ||||
Article 3, Volume 13, Issue 1, March 2010, Page 11-14 PDF (2.04 MB) | ||||
Document Type: Original Article | ||||
DOI: 10.21608/scumj.2010.69828 | ||||
View on SCiNiTO | ||||
Authors | ||||
Nora F. Mahmoud1; Salah M. Abdalla1; Alaa El-Din S. Abd El-Hamid2 | ||||
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University | ||||
2Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University | ||||
Abstract | ||||
Background: in spite of teh progress in teh prevention of transfusion transmitted infections over the last few years, transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection through transfusion of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negative blood has been documented. Objective: to study the seroprevalence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) in healthy blood donors negative for HBsAg and to evaluate whether anti-HBc detection could be adopted in Egypt as a screening assay for HBV in addition to HBsAg. Methods: in a cross sectional study, a total of 3043 blood donors were screened in 2009 for teh following viral markers; hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and human immunodeficiency virus I/II (anti-HIV I/II). Nine hundred and four samples negative for HBsAg (323 samples with elevated ALT level and 581 with normal ALT level) were tested for the presence of anti-HBc. Results: one hundred and sixty two samples (17.92%) were reactive for anti-HBc. The present study showed 20.12* and 16.7% anti-HBc positivity for samples with elevated and noraml ALT level respectively. Conclusion: anti-HBc should be tested routinely in blood donor volunteers. Rejection of anti-HBc positive units will be beneficial in decreasing the risk of HBV transmission with its potential consequences. | ||||
Keywords | ||||
Anti-HBc; HBsAg; HBV; Blood donors | ||||
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