BACKGROUND: Blood donors positive only for anti-HBc may have a resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, low grade chronic infection or infection with variant strains of HBV. We aimed to assess the significance of this serological pattern after hepatitis B vaccination in such cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four anti-HBc only blood donors were vaccinated with the Engerix HBV vaccine and a serological and virological evaluation was performed before HBV vaccination and 7-10 days after each dose. Subjects were classified as non-responders if their anti-HBs levels stayed below 10 IU/L after full vaccination, while the response was considered secondary (anamnestic) if anti-HBs levels rose over 10 IU/L after the first vaccine dose, and primary if anti-HBs levels rose over 10 IU/L only after the second or third vaccine dose. RESULTS: Of the 21 fully evaluable donors, six had no response, eight showed a primary response and seven had an anamnestic response. One non-responder had transient positivity for HBV-DNA at low levels (12 IU/mL) with persistent negativity for HBsAg. DISCUSSION: Anti-HBc-only positive blood donors are a heterogeneous population including HBV naïve subjects with a likely false-positive anti-HBc reactivity, subjects with a resolved HBV infection, and subjects with persistent low-level HBV replication. The analysis of the anti-HBs response after a dose of HBV vaccine may help to distinguish among the different causes of the isolated anti-HBc positivity, thereby enabling proper counselling and potential readmission to blood donation.
BACKGROUND: Blood donors positive only for anti-HBc may have a resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, low grade chronic infection or infection with variant strains of HBV. We aimed to assess the significance of this serological pattern after hepatitis B vaccination in such cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four anti-HBc only blood donors were vaccinated with the Engerix HBV vaccine and a serological and virological evaluation was performed before HBV vaccination and 7-10 days after each dose. Subjects were classified as non-responders if their anti-HBs levels stayed below 10 IU/L after full vaccination, while the response was considered secondary (anamnestic) if anti-HBs levels rose over 10 IU/L after the first vaccine dose, and primary if anti-HBs levels rose over 10 IU/L only after the second or third vaccine dose. RESULTS: Of the 21 fully evaluable donors, six had no response, eight showed a primary response and seven had an anamnestic response. One non-responder had transient positivity for HBV-DNA at low levels (12 IU/mL) with persistent negativity for HBsAg. DISCUSSION: Anti-HBc-only positive blood donors are a heterogeneous population including HBV naïve subjects with a likely false-positive anti-HBc reactivity, subjects with a resolved HBV infection, and subjects with persistent low-level HBV replication. The analysis of the anti-HBs response after a dose of HBV vaccine may help to distinguish among the different causes of the isolated anti-HBc positivity, thereby enabling proper counselling and potential readmission to blood donation.
Authors: M K Hourfar; L A Walch; G Geusendam; T Dengler; K Janetzko; K Gubbe; K Frank; A Karl; M Löhr; W Sireis; E Seifried; M Schmidt Journal: Int J Lab Hematol Date: 2008-07-31 Impact factor: 2.877
Authors: E Tabor; J H Hoofnagle; L F Barker; G Pineda-Tamondong; N Nath; L A Smallwood; R J Gerety Journal: Transfusion Date: 1981 May-Jun Impact factor: 3.157
Authors: Sang-Won Lee; Do Young Kim; Sang Hoon Ahn; Yong-Beom Park; Kwang-Hyub Han; Jun Yong Park Journal: Rheumatol Int Date: 2018-05-12 Impact factor: 2.631
Authors: Diana K Riner; Eric M Ndombi; Jennifer M Carter; Amos Omondi; Nupur Kittur; Emmy Kavere; Harrison K Korir; Briana Flaherty; Diana Karanja; Daniel G Colley Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2016-12-07