OBJECTIVETo assess the molecular biological characteristics of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected blood donors in Shaoxing.

METHODS8692 blood donors were screened using ELISA. The occult HBV infection was determined by DNA analysis among the HBsAg negative subjects. DNA sequencing and mutational analysis were further performed in the HBV DNA positive samples. The overall situation of occult HBV infection was hereby evaluated and the possible underlying mechanisms discussed.

RESULTSAmong the 8644 HBsAg negative subjects out of 8692 blood donors, 8 were HBV DNA positive. The occult HBV infection rate was 0.92 per thousand (8/8692). Among the 8 samples, 6 were genotype C (75%) and 2 genotype B (25%). In addition, a specific mutation in "a" epitope was observed in 7 OBI virus strains by amino acid analysis.

CONCLUSIONThere were occult HBV infected among blood donors in Shaoxing, which is probably associated with the gene mutation of HBV virus.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Donors ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B ; virology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; classification ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of HEV infection in population of non-remunerate blood donors in Shaoxing.

METHODSBlood specimens from 3701 non-remunerate blood donors were collected, ELISA were used to study anti-HEV IgG and IgM antibodies, RT-PCR were further used to study HEV RNA in samples from donors whose anti-HEV IgM was positive.

RESULTSAnti-HEV IgG positive rate was 29.19% (1107/3701), anti-HEV IgM positive rate was 1.35% (50/3701) among non-remunerate blood donors in Shaoxin. Six cases were positive for HEV RNA. The positive rate was 0.16% (6/3701), and all the 6 cases belonged to HEV genotype 1. Different seasons showed no interference on the positive rate of IgG and IgM.

CONCLUSIONThe detecting and studying of HEV infection among donors was important to ensure the safety of blood products and blood transfusion.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Blood Donors ; China ; epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Hepatitis E ; blood ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hepatitis E virus ; classification ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Young Adult