Significance of Screening HBc-Ab among HBs-Ag Negative Blood Donors in Syria

International Journal of Medical Science

© 2020 by SSRG - IJMS Journal

Volume 7 Issue 2

Year of Publication : 2020

Authors : Iyad Sakr, Haissam Yazigi, Yossef Zreik

10.14445/23939117/IJMS-V7I2P103

How to Cite?

Iyad Sakr, Haissam Yazigi, Yossef Zreik, "Significance of Screening HBc-Ab among HBs-Ag Negative Blood Donors in Syria," SSRG International Journal of Medical Science, vol. 7,  no. 2, pp. 13-16, 2020. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23939117/IJMS-V7I2P103

Abstract:

Transfusion transmitted hepatitis B has always been a dreaded disease, with incidence of increased transmission through donated blood. A total of 180 negative HBsAg blood samples were collected from Blood Bank in Lattakia, Syria. Blood units were selected randomly regardless of age, gender and blood group. The samples were drawn on anticoagulant tubes and then the appropriate dissolution for each sample was performed and a blood plasma was obtained. The competitive enzymatic immunoassay method (ELISA) was used with the appropriate kit to detect the presence of total HBc antibodies, as antibodies to HBc antigen may be the only marker for the recent infection by the virus ( Window Period ) and also for some chronic patients or due to presence of mutations in the structure of the virus. The results showed 17 positive samples for anti-HBc total antibodies to HBc antigen. which refers to a ratio of 9.44 % of all tested samples. This is of critical diagnostic and medical importance to detect these antibodies in blood donors along with the HBs antigen, in order to increase the level of safety in blood transfusion and to reduce the risk of hepatitis B infection through blood, because Blood Transfusion Centers in Syria investigate only the HBs antigen in blood donors to eliminate the transmission of HBV infection.

Keywords:

ELISA, Hepatitis B, Anti-HBc, HBs Ag, Blood units.

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