Recent and occult hepatitis B virus infections among blood donors in the United States

TitleRecent and occult hepatitis B virus infections among blood donors in the United States
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsRamachandran S, Groves JA, Xia GL, Saá P, Notari EP, Drobeniuc J, Poe A, Khudyakov N, Schillie SF, Murphy TV, Kamili S, Teo CG, Dodd RY, Khudyakov YE, Stramer SL
Volume59
Issue2
Date PublishedFeb
Abstract

Background: Characteristics of US blood donors with recent (RBI) or occult (OBI) hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are not well defined.

Methods: Donors with RBI and OBI were identified by nucleic acid and serologic testing among 34.4 million donations during 2009-2015. Consenting donors were interviewed and their HBV S-gene sequenced.

Results: The overall rate of HBV-infected donors was 7.95 per 100,000; of these, 0.35 per 100,000 and 1.70 per 100,000 were RBI and OBI, respectively. RBI (n = 120) and OBI (n = 583) donors constituted 26% of all HBV-infected (n = 2735) donors. Detection of HBV DNA in 92% of OBI donors required individual donation nucleic acid testing. Donors with OBI compared to RBI were older (mean age, 48 vs 39 years; p

Conclusion: RBI and OBI continue to be identified at low rates, confirming the importance of comprehensive HBV DNA screening of US blood donations. HBV-infected donors require referral for care and evaluation and contact tracing; their HBV strains may provide important information on emergent genotypes.
DOI10.1111/trf.15057
Alternate JournalTransfusion
Notify Library Reference ID5128

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