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Significance of anti-HBc only in blood donors: a serological and virological study after hepatitis B vaccination.
- Source :
-
Blood transfusion = Trasfusione del sangue [Blood Transfus] 2014 Jan; Vol. 12 Suppl 1, pp. s63-8. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Feb 21. - Publication Year :
- 2014
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Abstract
- Background: Blood donors positive only for anti-HBc may have a resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, low grade chronic infection or infection with variant strains of HBV. We aimed to assess the significance of this serological pattern after hepatitis B vaccination in such cases.<br />Materials and Methods: Twenty-four anti-HBc only blood donors were vaccinated with the Engerix HBV vaccine and a serological and virological evaluation was performed before HBV vaccination and 7-10 days after each dose. Subjects were classified as non-responders if their anti-HBs levels stayed below 10 IU/L after full vaccination, while the response was considered secondary (anamnestic) if anti-HBs levels rose over 10 IU/L after the first vaccine dose, and primary if anti-HBs levels rose over 10 IU/L only after the second or third vaccine dose.<br />Results: Of the 21 fully evaluable donors, six had no response, eight showed a primary response and seven had an anamnestic response. One non-responder had transient positivity for HBV-DNA at low levels (12 IU/mL) with persistent negativity for HBsAg.<br />Discussion: Anti-HBc-only positive blood donors are a heterogeneous population including HBV naïve subjects with a likely false-positive anti-HBc reactivity, subjects with a resolved HBV infection, and subjects with persistent low-level HBV replication. The analysis of the anti-HBs response after a dose of HBV vaccine may help to distinguish among the different causes of the isolated anti-HBc positivity, thereby enabling proper counselling and potential readmission to blood donation.
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adult
Antibody Specificity
Blood Safety
Comorbidity
Convalescence
DNA, Viral blood
Donor Selection standards
Female
HIV Infections blood
HIV Infections epidemiology
Hepatitis B epidemiology
Hepatitis B immunology
Hepatitis B virology
Hepatitis B Antibodies biosynthesis
Hepatitis B Antibodies immunology
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens immunology
Hepatitis B virus classification
Hepatitis B virus immunology
Hepatitis B, Chronic blood
Hepatitis B, Chronic epidemiology
Hepatitis B, Chronic immunology
Hepatitis B, Chronic virology
Hepatitis C blood
Hepatitis C epidemiology
Humans
Italy epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Time Factors
Viremia epidemiology
Viremia immunology
Young Adult
Hepatitis B blood
Hepatitis B Antibodies blood
Hepatitis B Core Antigens immunology
Hepatitis B Vaccines
Vaccination
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2385-2070
- Volume :
- 12 Suppl 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Blood transfusion = Trasfusione del sangue
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 23522882
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.2450/2013.0227-12