Hepatitis B vaccinees may be mistaken for confirmed hepatitis B surface antigen-positive blood donors.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) test sensitivities have gradually increased, and neutralizable weak HBsAg-positive donations, with no other hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers, have occasionally been found in our donor population. On investigation, these donors have admitted to receiving hepatitis B vaccine up to 5 days previously. A study was therefore initiated to monitor HBsAg reactivity amongst volunteers after receiving their first dose of hepatitis B vaccine.


METHODS
Eight volunteers were tested using three HBsAg assays (Abbott Auszyme, Ortho HBsAg-3 and Abbott/Murex GE34/36) on days 0, 3, 5, 7 and 10 after administration of hepatitis B vaccine.


RESULTS
Two HBsAg tests (Abbott Auszyme and Ortho HBsAg-3) did not detect HBsAg reactivity amongst the volunteers, although the Abbott Auszyme test results reached 70-80% of the manufacturer's cut-off at day 3 in two volunteers. The most recently launched assay (Abbott/Murex GE 34/36) detected seven (87%) of the eight volunteers as HBsAg reactive on day 3, and two (25%) volunteers were still reactive on day 5.


CONCLUSIONS
The Abbott/Murex GE 34/36 assay demonstrated HBsAg reactivity in most volunteers on day 3 and in some on day 5 after vaccination. It is therefore recommended that individuals who have recently been vaccinated with hepatitis B be deferred from blood donation for at least 7 days.
Dow
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BC
SNBTS Microbiology Reference Unit, West of Scotland Transfusion Centre, Glasgow, UK. brian.dow@snbts.scot.nhs.uk
Yates
P
P
Galea
G
G
Munro
H
H
Buchanan
I
I
Ferguson
K
K
D001782:Blood Donors; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic