Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis D virus among blood donors in Argentina: circulation of HBsAg and reverse transcriptase mutants.

DELFINO C; GENTILE E; CASTILLO A; CUESTAS ML; PATACCINI G; CÁNEPA C; MALAN R; BLEJER J; BERINI C; EIRIN ME; PEDROZO W; OUBIÑA J; BIGLIONI MM; MATHET VL

Archives of Virology

Springer

Año: 2014

0304-8608

AbstractIn Argentina, current procedures to ensure safety of the blood supply for transfusion include theserologic detection of specific blood borne infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate theprevalence and the genetic diversity of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis D virus (HDV)among blood donor populations from two distantly located Argentine regions. Data from 56,983blood 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 forHBsAg were analyzed for HBV-DNA characterization and HDV serological and molecularanalysis. The HBV prevalence was 0.12% for HBsAg and 1.68% for anti-HBc antibodies fromBuenos Aires, and 0.73% and 8.55% from Misiones, respectively. Seventy-seven HBsAgreactive samples were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction for HBV-DNA. SubgenotypesA2, B2, C2, F1b and F4 (Buenos Aires), and F1b and D3 (Misiones) were recorded. Severalmutants within the major hydrophilic region of HBsAg, the reverse transcriptase (associated tonatural antiviral resistance), the basal core promoter and the precore/core were detected. HDVgenotype 1 was identified in Buenos Aires. This study confirms the circulation of several HBVsubgenotypes, as well as known and newly identified variants, and the presence of HDV1 in thispopulation. A thorough research has to be carried out to evaluate the clinical importance ofsome of the documented mutations as well as those detected in the HDV1 case.