HEPATITIS B VIRUS (HBV) AND HEPATITIS D VIRUS (HDV) AMONG BLOOD DONORS FROM ARGENTINA: CIRCULATION OF VARIANTS WITH NATURAL ANTIVIRAL RESISTANCE

DELFINO C; GENTILE E; CASTILLO A; CUESTAS M; BIGLIONE MM; MATHET V

Arch virol

Springer

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2014 vol. 159 p. 1109 - 1117

Background . In Argentina, current procedures to ensure safety of the blood supply for transfusion include the serologic detection of specific blood borne infections. Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the genetic diversity of HBV and HDV among blood donor populations from two distantly located Argentine regions. Methods. Data from 56,983 blood donations were analyzed from Favaloro Foundation of Buenos Aires city (Central region) and from the Central Blood Bank of Misiones province (Northeast region). Samples reactive for HBsAg were analyzed for HBV-DNA characterization and HDV serological and molecular analysis. Results. The HBV prevalence was 0.12% for HBsAg and 1.68% for anti-HBc antibodies from Buenos Aires, and 0.73% and 8.55% from Misiones, respectively. Seventy-seven HBsAg reactive samples were analyzed by PCR for HBV-DNA. Subgenotypes A2, B2, C2, F1b and F4 (Buenos Aires), and F1b and D3 (Misiones) were recorded. Several mutants within the major hydrophilic region of HBsAg, the reverse transcriptase (associated to natural antiviral resistance), the basal core promoter and the precore/core were detected. HDV genotype 1 was identified in Buenos Aires. Conclusions. This study confirms the circulation of several HBV subgenotypes, as well as known and newly identified variants, and the presence of HDV1 in this population. A thorough research has to be carried out to evaluate the clinical importance of some of the documented mutations as well as those detected in the HDV1 case.