[Risk of hepatitis B virus transmission from hepatitis B core antibody-positive liver donors].
BACKGROUND
To study the hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission from donors HBsAg-/AntiHBc+ to liver transplant recipients.


METHODS
We studied retrospectively the HBV serological markers in 43 donors from our center and also the serological condition of the 41 recipients. The HBV serological markers were analyzed by ELISA and HBV DNA was detected by hybridation assays.


RESULTS
13 donors samples showed some HBV serological markers: 6 anti-HBc and anti- HBs (13.9%), 4 anti-HBc (9%) and 3 anti- HBs (6.9%). There were no cases of hepatitis B among liver recipients from donors with negative serological markers. Among the 13 recipients with HBV serological markers, 9 were followed during 39 (SD 17) months. The 5 recipients with no HBV markers, who received an anti- HBc+ with or without anti- HBs (100%) developed hepatitis B. The two liver recipients with anti-HBs solely, did not developed infection (0%). Of the 41 recipients, 15 had some HBV markers before transplant and two of them received an anti-HBc+ and did not develop the infection (0%).


CONCLUSIONS
In our study, the prevalence of serological HBV infection in donors and recipients was of 30.2 and 31.7%, respectively. Anti-HBc with or without anti-HBs donors transmitted the HBV infection in all the cases (100%) to the susceptible recipients. The presence of anti-HBs in recipients protected these against the infection. Only the anti-HBs positive donors did not trasmit the HBV infection.
Bárcena Marugán
R
R
Gastroenterología, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid.
García Garzón
S
S
López San Román
A
A
Peña González
E
E
Nasha
R
R
Férnandez Muñoz
R
R
Mateos
M
M
García Plaza
A
A
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D014019:Tissue Donors
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens