Occult hepatitis B virus infection in hematopoietic stem cell donors in a hepatitis B virus endemic area.
OBJECTIVE
The acquisition of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection following organ transplantation from donors with occult HBV infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of occult HBV in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation donors.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective study on 124 consecutive hepatitis B surface antigen negative HSC donors. Their serum samples were analyzed by PCR for the pre-S/S, pre-core/core and X regions of the virus. Samples reactive by at least two PCR assays were considered HBV-DNA positive.


RESULTS
Nineteen of the 124 HSC donors (15.3%) had occult HBV infection. Sixteen of these 19 donors with occult HBV infection (84.2%) tested positive for hepatitis B core antibody while 78 of 105 subjects (74.3%) without occult HBV infection were also positive (P=0.56). Fourteen of the 19 donors (73.7%) with occult HBV infection tested positive for hepatitis B surface antibody while 67 of the 105 subjects without occult HBV infection were also positive (P=0.45).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of occult HBV infection among HSC donors in Hong Kong is high. Anti-HBc and anti-HBs status had no significant correlation with the presence of occult HBV infection.
Hui
Chee-kin
CK
Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Sun
Jian
J
Au
Wing-yan
WY
Lie
Albert K W
AK
Yueng
Yui-hung
YH
Zhang
Hai-ying
HY
Lee
Nikki P
NP
Hou
Jin-ling
JL
Liang
Raymond
R
Lau
George K K
GK
D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D004279:DNA, Viral