“Hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence and circulating genoptypes among blood donors from Buenos Aires city, Argentina

DELFINO, C; BLEJER, C; CASTILLO, A; GENTILE, E; BERINI, C; CUESTAS, ML; EIRIN, ME; TRINKS, J; MINASSIAN, M; SALAMONE, H; OUBIÑA, J; MATHET, V & BIGLIONE, M

Congreso; The 14th International Congress on Infectious Diseases (ICID).; 2010

INTRODUCTION: The HBV is distributed worldwide being classified in nine genotypes, from A to H and J. In Argentina, previous studies show a low prevalence in blood donors. HDV is associated with co-infections or superinfections of HBV. The prevalence of HDV varies largely depending on geographic areas. In Argentina, HDV had been reported only in populations at risk. OBJETIVE: To determine retrospectively the HBV prevalence, circulating genotypes and the presence of HDV RNA among blood donors in Buenos Aires. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 42055 serum samples (2004-2008) from the Blood Bank of the Favaloro Foundation were analyzed by ELISAs. HBs-Ag (Abbott-Murex/Biomerieux) and anti-HBc antibodies (Biomerieux/Abbott- Murex / Ortho) were detected. A total of 37 positive samples were then submitted to DNA extraction using alkaline lysis and RNA extraction using TRizol®. The S and Pre C/C genomic regions of HBV were amplified by PCR in independent reactions (PCR-S and PCR-Pre C/C). RNA HDV were detected by RT-PCR. Direct sequencing reactions were done by using an ABI Prism Big Dye Terminator Cycle Sequencing Ready Reaction Version 3.0 mixture (Applied Biosystems) and sequence alignment was carried out using Clustal W (Bioedit 7.0.4.1). Phylogenetic tree were constructed using Neighbor-joining (NJ). RESULTS: Out of 42055 samples, 655 (1.6%) were positive for at least one of the HBV serological markers. The prevalence were 1.52% (641) for anti-HBc and 0.12% (50) for HBsAg, respectively. Of them, 36 (0.08%) samples were positive for both, HBsAg +/anti-HBc+. Out of 37 samples molecularly analyzed (27 anti-HBc+/ HBsAg+ and 10 HBsAg+ only), 5 with both markers were HBV DNA positive being all of them PCR-PreC/C (+) and 4 PCR-S (+) only. Four different, A, B, D and F HBV genotypes were detected. Other, 2 samples were positive for HDV RT-PCR (one sample HBsAg+ and another with both). CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm a low HBV prevalence - as previously report by National Program for Control Hepatitis Virus during 2006 (0.3% and 3.1% HBsAg and anti-HBc, respectively) and the presence of HDV among blood donors from Buenos Aires. The HBV genotypes circulating among blood donors were previously described in this cosmopolitan city.