title: Frequency of hepatitis B virus DNA in anti-HBc positive, HBsAg negative blood donors in Rasht, northern Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the important factors in the ensuing safety of blood transfusion is to use a sensitive screening assay for detection of blood-born infective agents such as HBV which transmits through transfusion. To improve the detection rate of HBV infection in blood donors, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Rasht, which is the largest city in the north of Iran to explore the possibility of using anti-HBc as a screening test.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2041 blood samples negative for HBsAg, Anti-HCV, Anti-HIV I, II and RPR were tested to detect anti-HBc and then the positive anti-HBc samples were further checked for the presence of HBV DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of anti-HBc positive samples was 3.8% and HBV DNA was detected in only one sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that anti-HBc positive blood donors may be a source of HBV transmission and further study for evaluation of HBV DNA in anti-HBc positive blood units is needed.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khamesipour
authors.forename: Zahra Mohtasham
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Amiri
authors.forename: Sedigheh Amini
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kafiabad
authors.forename: Farshid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saadat
authors.forename: Fariborz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mansour-ghanaei
authors.forename: Abdoul-Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Esteghamati
authors.forename: Reza Jafari
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Shakib
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; 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; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens