title: Hepatitis B virus infection in blood donors in Argentina: prevalence of infection, genotype distribution and frequency of occult HBV infection.
abstract: This study describes the prevalence of HBV infection based on detection of HBsAg and HBV-DNA by NAT in 70,102 blood donors in Argentina (Córdoba province) and shows the viral genotype distribution and frequency of occult HBV infection (OBI) in this population. Forty-two donors were confirmed positive for HBV infection (0.06 %), and four had OBI. Genotype F was the most prevalent (71.4 %), followed by A (14.3 %), C (7.1 %) and D (7.1 %). This is the first report of the prevalence of confirmed HBV infection and the high frequency of occult HBV infection in a blood bank in Argentina.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Enfermera Gordillo Gómez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP: 5016, Córdoba, Argentina. mbelenpisano@gmail.com.
authors.forename: María Belén
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Pisano
authors.affiliation: Fundación Banco Central de Sangre, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Sebastián
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.affiliation: Fundación Banco Central de Sangre, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Carrizo
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Enfermera Gordillo Gómez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP: 5016, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Viviana Elizabeth
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Ré
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Enfermera Gordillo Gómez s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, CP: 5016, Córdoba, Argentina.|Fundación Banco Central de Sangre, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallego
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001782:Blood Donors; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
keywords: Blood bank; Genotype; HBV; NAT; Prevalence