Blood donors infected with the hepatitis B virus but persistently lacking antibodies to the hepatitis B core antigen.
OBJECTIVE
Antibodies to the core of hepatitis B virus (anti-HBc) are considered to be the best serologically reliable markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Through a national epidemiological survey, two young and first-time blood donors, originating from HBV-endemic areas, were identified as HBV carriers with an absence of anti-HBc reactivity.


METHODS
We followed up these two subjects in order to investigate the evolution of their HBV serological profiles. Nucleotide sequencing was performed of the entire pre-C/C region of the strains infecting these donors.


RESULTS
The same serological profile of active viral replication with an apparent persistent lack of anti-HBc and normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels was found for both subjects throughout a follow-up of 19 months and 4 months, respectively. Neither donor was immunocompromised. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the pre-C/C region did not show mutations or deletions in encoded proteins.


CONCLUSIONS
The hypothesis of an in utero HBV infection responsible for an immune tolerance to HBV seems to be the most probable explanation for this particular immunological situation. Such occurrences in the blood donor population are probably rare as less than 0.1% of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive donors exhibit such a profile, in our experience. Moreover, this phenomenon does not impose a risk of HBV transmission by blood donation, as the exclusion of HBV-infected blood donation is based on HBsAg detection. However, such a risk might be encountered with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) for which at present only antibodies to HCV are screened.
Laperche
S
S
Unité de Virologie Transfusionnelle, Institut National de la Transfusion Sanguine, 6 rue Alexandre Cabanel, 75739 Paris, France. laperche@ints.fr
Guitton
C
C
Smilovici
W
W
Courouce
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001782:Blood Donors; D002353:Carrier State; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012698:Serologic Tests
D000906:Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens