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- Title
Anti-HBc and hepatitis B virus DNA among HBsAg-negative blood donors from the main central blood bank units in Eastern Libya.
- Authors
El-Nabi, Sobhy Hassab; El-Garawani, Islam; Ismail, Faisal; Abdelsameea, Eman
- Abstract
Background: Post-transfusion hepatitis B virus (PTHB) infection is still a public health problem in the world. In many developed countries, nucleic acid testing (NAT) for detection of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)-DNA has been implemented to enhance blood donation safety. In Libya, however, the testing for HBV infection is limited to the detection of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) only. Objectives: To determine the frequency of anti-Hepatitis B core antibody (HBc) and HBV-DNA in HBsAg-negative, anti-HBc-positive blood donors in the main Central Blood Bank Units (CBBUs) in eastern Libya. Methods: One thousand blood samples were obtained from healthy blood donors at the five main CBBUs in eastern Libya. The samples were screened for HBsAg and anti-HBc. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out to detect HBVDNA in all anti-HBc-positive samples. Results: A total of 94 (9.4%) donors were positive for anti-HBc. Of the 94 anti-HBcpositive samples, 9 samples (9.5%) tested positive for HBV-DNA by real-time PCR. Conclusion: The rate of anti-HBc among blood donors in this study (9.4%) was similar to that reported from other regions in the country. In the absence of advanced tests for the detection of HBV infection in blood donors, such as NAT, anti-HBc should be routinely tested for, at least for first-time donors.
- Subjects
LIBYA; HEPATITIS B virus; DNA viruses; BLOOD banks; BLOOD donors; HEPATITIS associated antigen
- Publication
Transfusion Medicine, 2020, Vol 30, Issue 5, p401
- ISSN
0958-7578
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/tme.12711