Viral hepatitis in Nigeria--sickle-cell disease and commercial blood donors

Hepatitis virus infection is a major cause of morbidity andmortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The high prevalence of hepatitisB virus (HBV) infection in this region is thought to be dueto horizontal transmission during childhood. Hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection is also quite prevalent in Africa, but the epidemiologyof this infection has yet to be defined. We examined the prevalenceof HBV and HCV serological markers in 220 patients attendingsickle-cell anaemia clinics in Benin City, Nigeria, in 228 healthylocals, and in 104 local commercial blood donors, to test thehypothesis that patients requiring blood transfusion from unscreenedcommercial blood donors (in this area of high prevalence forviral hepatitis) are at great risk for the acquisition of post-transfusionhepatitis. Overall, the frequency of hepatitis viraemia in blooddonors was high (14% of donors were either HbsAg or anti-HCVpositive). Evidence of previous exposure to HBV was common inall three study groups. Risk of HBV infection for sickle-cellpatients was not clearly increased by blood transfusion. HCVexposure, however, appears related to transfusion requirement,and all Western-blot-confirmed anti-HCV-positive sicklers hada history of blood transfusion. Screening of blood productsin sub-Saharan Africa is unlikely to reduce prevalence of HBV,but may minimize the risks of HCV transmission.     

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus among blood donors at a tertiary care hospital in India: a five‐year study

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are important transfusion‐transmissible infections. This study was performed to assess the prevalence of HBV and HCV seropositivity among blood donors at a tertiary care hospital–based blood bank in India. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The blood donation records over 5 years (2005‐2009) were reviewed, retrospectively, for the prevalence and yearly trends of HBV and HCV seropositivity. RESULTS: A total of 94,716 donations were received. The overall number of HBV‐seropositive donations was 1353 and that for HCV was 537, with the prevalence rates of 1.43% for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and 0.57% for HCV. The seropositivity rate was higher in the replacement donors compared to the voluntary donors. The annual rates showed decreasing trends in case of HBsAg, but in case of HCV, there was a linear increase. CONCLUSIONS: Our study raises serious concerns regarding the HBV and HCV prevalence in our country. Although HBV showed decreasing trends, it cannot be relied upon because the donors were screened only for HBsAg. HCV is clearly on the rise. Stringent measures need to be taken on urgent basis including dissemination of information, strict screening of blood, inclusion of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen and other sensitive markers to the screening protocol, and better donor recruitment.     

血友病A患者血制品治疗后HBV和HCV感染指标分析

目的对血友病A患者替代治疗后血液传播乙型、丙型肝炎病毒(HBV、HCV)的感染指标进行检测。方法对经本院确诊的35例血友病A患者采用酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)检测抗-HCV、HBV六项指标。结果 35例血友病A患者的抗-HCV阳性率为88.6%,输血次数和输注血液制品为主的种类与患者抗-HCV阳性率有相关性(P<0.01)。HBV六项指标检查,其中5例患者抗-HBe阳性(占14.3%),明显低于抗-HCV阳性率。结论血友病A患者替代治疗输血次数越多,感染风险越大,而较少输注以冷沉淀为主的血液制品的患者,其感染风险相对较小,且目前HCV感染率明显高于HBV感染率。     

血液透析患者肝炎病毒感染危险因素分析

目的 了解血液透析患者乙型、丙型和庚型肝炎病毒(HBV、HCV和HGV)感染及合并感染的危险因素。方法 采用酶联免疫法(ELISA)检测了44例血透患者的HBV标志物、抗-HCV和抗-HGV抗体,逆转录-套式PCR法检HCV BNA及HGV RNA。结果 血透患者三种肝炎总感染率达77.3％,HBV、HCV、HGV感染率分别为72.7％、13.6％和13.6％,HBV/HCV、HCV/HGV、HGV/HBV合并感染分别为11.4％、2.3％和11.4％,HBV、HCVT HGV三重感染率为2.3％。HCV感染与输血次数、透析年限明显相关,而HBV和HGV感染与输血次数、透析年限无显著相关。肝炎病毒合并感染组与单纯感染组、阴性组比较,输血次数明显增多、透析年限明显延长。结论 血透患者HBV、HCV和HGV感染率均较高。严格消毒措施,减少输血,血源筛查,对减少透析中肝炎病毒感染至关重要。     

Incidence of hepatitis B virus infection in patients with blood disease

AIM: To define incidence of HBV infection in patients with blood diseases caused by blood components transfusion; correlation between infection rate and blood disease nosological entity, intensity of hemoreplacement therapy, time of hepatitis B incubation period in patients with hematological malignancies after the diagnosis and initiation of polychemotherapy (PCT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 2000-2007 a prospective clinicoepidemiological trial was made to detect markers of HBV infection among 303 patients 15 to 76 years of age treated in the department of acute leukemia chemotherapy of N.N. Burdenko Military Hospital for acute lymphoid and myeloblastic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia in a blastic crisis, myelodysplastic syndrome in blast transformation, lymphoproliferative diseases with bone marrow affection. Statistic processing was performed with standard methods. RESULTS: HBV infection markers were detected in 30 (9.9%) of 303 examinees. Among the infected patients there were 16 (53.4%) patients with different variants of acute myeloblastic leukemia, 12 (40.0%) with different immunophenotypes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 1 (3.3%) patient with acute biphenotypical leukemia and 1 (3.3%) with lymphoma/leukemia. HBV infection was registered in patients 2 to 32 months after the beginning of the treatment. Most of the patients - 23 (74%) of 30 - were infected with HBV within the first year after hematological diagnosis and PCT induction course. HBV was diagnosed within treatment year two in 5 (16%) patients and within year three after PCT in 3 (10%). CONCLUSION: High incidence of HBV infection in patients with hematological malignancies points to a high epidemiological risk of hemoreplacement therapy, unsatisfactory quality of donor blood testing and necessity of updating methods of donor infection detection. To lower the risk of HBV infection in patients with hematological malignancies it is necessary to perform vaccine prophylaxis of hepatitis B before PCT.     

Should patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection or chronic hepatitis donate blood for autologous use?

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this project is to formally evaluate the benefits and the risks of allowing patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or hepatitis to donate blood for autologous use. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: With data on the incidence of transfusion- transmitted hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV; administrative error; and health-care worker exposure, decision analysis was used to quantitate the benefits and risks of autologous blood transfusions versus those of transfusions of blood from allogeneic donors. RESULTS: Assuming the highest documented probability of transfusion-related infection, the days of life saved by allowing the transfusion of autologous blood to a 30-year-old noninfected or HBV-, HCV-, or HIV-infected patient are 92.52, 70.60, 0.95, and 5.69, respectively. Assuming the lowest documented probability of transfusion- related infection, the days of life saved decrease to 2.96, 2.26, 0.15, and 0.18, respectively. Avoidance of HCV accounts for over 90 percent of the days gained. The days of life lost by other noninfected patients through administrative error average 0.11 in the case of HIV and those lost by health care workers average 0.04, 0.18, and 0.07 in the case of HBV, HCV, and HIV, respectively. CONCLUSION: The benefit of autologous transfusions in patients infected with HBV, HCV, and HIV is significantly less than that in noninfected patients. The risks of this infected blood to other noninfected patients are significant only in the case of HIV-infected blood transfusions; however, there is a measurable risk to health-care workers should all infected blood be allowed into the blood supply.     

Transfusion-transmissible viral infections among US military recipients of whole blood and platelets during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom

BACKGROUND: Current US military clinical practice guidelines permit emergency transfusions of non–Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‐compliant freshly collected blood products in theaters of war. This investigation aimed to characterize the risks of transfusion‐transmitted infections (TTIs) associated with battlefield transfusions of non–FDA‐compliant blood products. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: US Service members who received emergency transfusion products in Iraq and Afghanistan (March 1, 2002‐September 30, 2007) were tested for hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections using reposed pre‐ and posttransfusion sera. Selected regions of viral genomes from epidemiologically linked infected recipients and their donors were sequenced and compared. RESULTS: Of 761 US Service members who received emergency transfusion products, 475 were tested for HCV, 472 for HIV, and 469 for HBV. One transfusion‐transmitted HCV infection (incidence rate of 2.1/1000 persons) was identified. The pretransfusion numbers (prevalence per 1000 persons) were HCV—four (8/1000), HIV—zero (0/1000), chronic HBV—two (4 /1000), and naturally immune (antibody to HBV core antigen)—nine (19/1000). CONCLUSION: One HCV TTI was determined to be associated with emergency blood product use. The pretransfusion HCV and HBV prevalence in transfusion recipients, themselves members of the potential donor population, indicates better characterization of the deployed force's actual donor population, and further investigations of the TTI prevalence in these donors are needed. These data will inform countermeasure development and clinical decision making.     

Impact of individual-donation nucleic acid testing on risk of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus transmission by blood transfusion in South Africa

BACKGROUND: In 2005, the South African National Blood Service introduced individual-donation (ID) nucleic acid test (NAT) screening for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA, hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA. At the same time the use of ethnic origin to prioritize the transfusion of blood according to a hierarchy of residual risk was discontinued.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: ID-NAT (Ultrio on Procleix Tigris, Chiron) and serology (PRISM, Abbott) repeat test and confirmation testing algorithms were designed to enable differentiation between false-positive and true-NAT and -serology yields. After 1 year, the NAT and serology yield rates in first-time, lapsed, and repeat donors were analyzed and used to estimate the residual risk of HIV, HBV, and HCV infections by blood transfusion.
RESULTS: The HIV, HBV, and HCV ID-NAT window phase yield rates in 732,250 blood donations were 1:45,765, 1:11,810, and 1:732,200, respectively. Seven of 16 HIV window phase donations with viral loads above 16,000 copies/mL were HIV p24 antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay positive. PRISM detected anti-HIV and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in 89.4 and 73.9% of early infections in repeat donors. The Procleix assay detected viremia in 99.7 and 95.5% of anti-HIV– and HBsAg-positive first-time donors. In these donors, the occult HBV DNA carrier rate was 1:5200. The residual transmission risk of ID-NAT HIV, HBV, and HCV window phase donations was estimated at 1:479,000, 1:61,500, and 1:21,000,000 respectively.
CONCLUSION: One-year ID-NAT screening of 732,250 donations interdicted 16 HIV, 20 HBV, and 1 HCV window phase donations and 42 anti-hepatitis B core antigen–reactive infections during an early recovery or a later stage of occult HBV infection.     

维持性血液透析患者并发病毒性肝炎的临床研究

目的 了解维持性血液透析患病毒性肝炎的感染率及其有关因素。方法 用酶联免疫法(ELISA)检测53例乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)标志物、丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)抗体，逆转录一套式PCR法检测HCV—RNA。回顾分析53例维持性血液透析患的临床资料。结果 53例维持性血液透析患肝炎病毒感染率分别为乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)22．6％、丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)41．5％、HBV／HCV总感染率49．1％，HCV感染组、非感染组在输血次数、透析年限的差异有显性，而HBV感染组、非感染组在输血次数、透析年限的差异无显性。结论 病毒性肝炎仍是血液透析(HD)的主要并发症之一，其中以HCV的发生率最高。严格消毒措施，血源筛选，减少输血，对减少透析中肝炎感染至关重要。     

维持性血液透析患者病毒性肝炎感染分析

目的了解维持性血液透析患者病毒性肝炎感染情况及危险因素,探讨预防血液透析患者感染病毒性肝炎的措施。方法对2009～2011年中国医科大学附属第一医院肾内科血液透析室的125例维持性血液透析患者,采用化学发光法检测丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)抗体及乙型肝炎6项,回顾分析维持性血液透析患者的临床资料。结果 125例维持性血液透析患者肝炎病毒感染率分别为乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)23.2%,丙型肝炎病毒5.6%。不同年龄和性别在病毒性肝炎感染率差异无显著性(P>0.05),HBV感染组、非感染组在输血次数差异无显著性(P>0.05),在透析时间差异具有显著性(HBV感染组60.1±25.7月比非感染组43.0±25.3月,P<0.01)。HCV感染组、非感染组在输血次数(HCV感染组85.7%vs.非感染组15.7%,P<0.05)、透析年限(HCV感染组65.9±35.9月比非感染组43.0±25.3月,P<0.05)的差异均有显著性。结论血液透析患者是肝炎病毒感染的高危人群,乙型肝炎感染率在输血次数的差异无显著性,与透析年限的差异有显著性,丙型肝炎感染率随输血次数及血液透析时间的延长而增高。严格隔离可以预防医院内交叉感染的发生。     

维持性血液透析患者肝炎病毒感染发生情况及原因分析

目的调查分析维持性血液透析患者病毒感染情况及相关因素。方法收集于解放军总医院肾内科行维持性血液透析的163例患者的临床资料,观察乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)及丙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis C virus,HCV)感染情况并分析其与透析时间、肾移植史、外科手术史及输血的关系。结果纳入研究的163例患者中,感染HBV的患者18例(11.0%),感染HCV的患者14例(8.6%)。感染HCV患者的透析龄最长,为(79.0±51.6)月,同时,感染HCV的患者肾移植病史及外科手术史比例也高于其他两组患者。分析HCV及HBV首次发现时间,患者感染HCV多发生在肾移植术后,感染HBV多发生于透析开始前,而发生在透析间期的比例不高。结论血液透析患者中,感染HCV与HBV患者的比例无明显差异,但感染HCV的患者多继发于肾移植、手术及输血,而感染HBV的患者多为原发。因此,加强对血液透析患者继发感染HCV的控制十分重要。     

Lack of epidemiological evidence for a role of resolved hepatitis B virus infection in hepatocarcinogenesis in patients infected with hepatitis C virus in Japan

OBJECTIVE: The role of resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in promoting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Japan was evaluated by epidemiological surveys. METHODS: Antibody to hepatitis B core (anti-HBc) was determined in age-matched blood donors, and the frequency was compared with that in patients with HCV-associated HCC in Japan. RESULTS: Anti-HBc was detected significantly more frequently in the blood donors with than without antibody to HCV (anti-HCV; 76/135 or 56.3% vs. 65/255 or 25.5%, p < 0.001). In the patients with HCV-associated HCC, anti-HBc was detected in 109 of 202 (54.0%), which was comparable to the frequency in anti-HCV-positive blood donors (56.3%). Among the blood donors with anti-HCV, the prevalence of anti-HBc was no different between those with and without HCV RNA in serum (40/77 or 51.9% vs. 36/58 or 62.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The individuals of an age with high cancer frequency (>or=40 years) in Japan would have been exposed to HBV frequently (>50%), whether or not they have developed HCV-associated HCC. Despite repeated assertions in the literature, no epidemiological evidence was obtained for a role of past HBV infection in hepatocarcinogenesis in patients infected with HCV in Japan.     

Impact of nucleic acid testing for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus on the safety of blood supply in Italy: a 6-year survey

BACKGROUND: Nucleic acid testing (NAT) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been implemented in several European countries and in the United States, while hepatitis B virus (HBV) NAT is still being questioned by opinions both in favor and against such an option, depending on the HBV endemicity, health care resources, and expected benefits. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This survey was aimed to assess the NAT impact in improving the safety of blood supply in Italy, 6 years after implementation. The study involved 93 Italian transfusion centers and was carried out in 2001 through 2006. A total of 10,776,288 units were tested for the presence of HCV RNA, 7,932,430 for HIV RNA, and 3,405,497 for HBV DNA, respectively. RESULTS: Twenty‐seven donations or 2.5 per million tested were HCV RNA–positive/anti‐HCV–negative; 14 or 1.8 per million units tested were HIV RNA–positive/anti‐HIV–negative; and 197 or 57.8 per million donations tested were HBV DNA–positive/hepatitis B surface antigen–negative. Of the latter, 8 (2.3/10⁶) were collected from donors in the window phase of infection and 189 (55.5/10⁶) from donors with occult HBV. Sixty‐eight percent of the latter donors had hepatitis B surface antibody, 74.5 percent of whom with concentrations considered protective (≥10 mIU/mL). CONCLUSION: NAT implementation has improved blood safety by reducing the risk of entering 2.5 HCV and 1.8 HIV infectious units per million donations into the blood supply. The yield of NAT in detecting infectious blood before transfusion was higher for HBV than for HCV or HIV. However, the benefit of HBV NAT in terms of avoided HBV‐related morbidity and mortality in blood recipients needs to be further evaluated.     

140例成人人类免疫缺陷病毒感染与丙型肝炎病毒感染相互影响

目的 了解经输血或单采浆献血感染人类免疫缺陷病毒(HIV)的患者中丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)的感染率；分析HIV与HCV感染的相互影响。方法 对140例经输血或单采浆献血感染HIV的患者血清抗HCV、HBV—M、肝脏生化功能、CD4^ 和CD8^ 细胞计数、纤维胃镜、肝胆脾B超进行分析。结果 140例HIV感染和获得性免疫缺陷综合征(AIDS)患者中HCV抗体阳性者占91．5％(128／140)；HIV和HCV混合感染者肝功能损害较轻，与单纯HIV感染者比较，其肝功能、B超改变、CD4^ 细胞计数之间差异无统计学意义。结论 经输血或单采浆献血感染的HIV感染者中存在着极高的HCV感染(91．5％)。HIV和HCV混合感染者与单纯HIV感染者比较，肝功能损伤并不严重，提示HIV可能并不加速丙型肝炎的进展。     

A pilot study for screening blood donors in Taiwan by nucleic acid amplification technology: detecting occult hepatitis B virus infections and closing the serologic window period for hepatitis C virus

BACKGROUND: Blood donors in Taiwan currently are screened for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection by immunoassay. The risk of enzyme immunoassay (EIA)-negative, nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT)-reactive donations is not well understood. This study aimed to screen for such donors in Taiwan by a multiplex test (cobas TaqScreen, Roche) on a commercially available NAT system (cobas s 201 system, Roche). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: NAT was performed on donors without prescreening in pools of six and NAT-reactive pools were then resolved to the single donation. Individual-donor NAT-reactive samples were discriminated by a commercially available polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic assay (COBAS AmpliScreen, Roche). Samples with EIA- and NAT-discordant results were investigated with supplemental serologic and confirmatory tests. Each sample taken from follow-up of HBV NAT yield cases was tested for HBV serologic profile, NAT, and viral load. The sensitivity and performance efficacy were also evaluated. RESULTS: The 95 percent limit of detection (LOD) for HBV, HCV, and HIV were 5.09, 11.83, and 62.53 IU per mL, respectively. Among 10,727 seronegative donations, 12 HBV NAT yield cases (0.11%) and 1 HCV NAT yield case (0.01%) were detected. Follow-up results for 1 to 8 months showed that the HCV yield case was a window case and all HBV NAT yield cases were occult carriers. CONCLUSION: The use of NAT detected occult HBV and reduced HCV window period. The yield rate, especially occult HBV, was 10- to 100-fold higher than that in developed, HBV nonendemic countries. Therefore, NAT implementation for routine donor screening in a more cost-effective manner should contribute to safer blood transfusion in Taiwan.     

Residual risk of transfusion-transmitted human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis B virus infections in Italy

BACKGROUND: Estimating the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) is essential for monitoring blood safety. The residual risk of TTI was estimated for nearly 90 percent of the blood supply in Italy. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Data were analyzed from 1,079,281 repeat donors, corresponding to 5,361,000 donations made in blood transfusion centers throughout Italy in the period 1999 through 2001. The residual risk of transfusion-transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections was estimated with the incidence rate-window period model. The denominator for the incidence rate (i.e., the number of person-years at risk) was estimated on a sample of 5850 donors. RESULTS: The risk of an infectious donation entering the blood supply, per 1 million donations, was 1.91 (probable range, 0.52-3.32) for HIV, 16.74 (9.57-24.01) for HCV, and 69.16 (43.12-102.70) for total HBV (adjusted for vaccination and hepatitis B surface antigen transience). CONCLUSION: In Italy, the estimated residual risk of TTI is apparently low, particularly for HIV infection. Although the estimated risks are higher for HCV and HBV, the introduction of mandatory viral detection tests for HCV in 2002 should account for an 80 percent reduction in the HCV risk. Moreover, the ongoing HBV vaccination program will contribute to reducing the risk of transfusion-transmitted HBV.     

Prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, and human immunodeficiency virus in multiply transfused recipients in Mexico

BACKGROUND: Transfusion-transmitted viral infection (TTI) is a major problem in patients receiving blood products. Monitoring high-risk patients is essential for assessing the epidemiology of blood-borne infections.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A 1-year, cross-sectional seroprevalence study in patients with a history of multiple transfusions was conducted. Peripheral blood samples were titered to detect serologic markers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). The presence of these viruses and demographic, behavioral, and medical traits were assessed.
RESULTS: A total of 300 male and female multiply transfused patients with a mean age of 30.7 (±17.5) years were studied. The prevalence was 13.7% for HCV, 7% for HBV, and 1.7% for HIV. Patients with hemophilia had the highest prevalence for HCV and HIV infections, and hemodialyzed patients, for HBV infection. The risk factors related to acquired HCV were hemophilia (odds ratio [OR], 5.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.5-12.6), more than five hospitalizations (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.6-8.9), and having received a transfusion before mandatory screening in 1993 (OR, 8.4; 95% CI, 2.0-34.6), and for HIV, having received a transfusion before 1987 (OR, 19.0; 95% CI, 2.0-177.7). The main risk factors for HBV were having end-stage renal disease and being treated with hemodialysis (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.4-9.9) and transplantation (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.4-12.1).
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that HCV infection was more frequently identified than HBV and HIV infections in multiply transfused Mexican patients. Additionally, several risk factors are associated with TTI such as mandatory screenings before 1987 and 1993, which were the most important for HIV and HCV infections but not for HBV.     

乙型肝炎病毒和丙型肝炎病毒感染对肾移植受者长期预后影响

目的：研究乙型肝炎病毒和（或）丙型肝炎病毒感染对肾移植受者的长期预后的影响。方法：比较术前乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原（HBsAg）阳性或（和）丙型肝炎病毒抗体（抗-HBV）阳性与HBsAg和抗-HCV均阴性肾移植术患者的预后,用Kaplan—Meier法统计生存率。结果：肝炎病毒阴性受者的生存率和肾存活率分别为：1年94％和92．3％;3年88．6％和86．5％;5年83％和79．6％;10年69．9％和54％;肝炎病毒阳性受者的生存率和肾存活率分别为：1年98％和95．9％;3年91．3％和89．3％;5年79％和80．8％;10年64．7％和64．7％,阳性和阴性者相比生存率无明显差别。1999年前免疫抑制剂以环孢素A（CsA）、硫唑嘌呤（Aza）和激素为主,肝炎病毒阳性者5年和10年人生存率低于阴性患者,移植肾生存率无差别。肝炎病毒阳性受者死亡8例,4例死因为肝功能衰竭或肝硬化。1999年后吗替麦考酚酯（MMF）及他克莫司（FK506）应用于抗排斥治疗,肝炎病毒阳性和阴性受者移植肾和患者生存率均无差异,29例阳性者仅1例死亡,原因为移植肾失功后尿毒症。结论：在以CsA和A2a为主要免疫抑制剂的年代,肝相关并发症是肝炎病毒阳性肾移植受者重要死因,但肝炎病毒阳性与阴性者相比生存率、肾活率无明显差别。新型免疫抑制剂的应用和移植前后正确处理,可能改善乙型或丙型肝炎病毒感染肾移植受者预后。     

Serological findings amongst first‐time blood donors in Yaoundé, Cameroon: is safe donation a reality or a myth?

Blood safety remains an issue of major concern in transfusion medicine in developing countries where national blood transfusion services and policies, appropriate infrastructure, trained personnel and financial resources are lacking. This is aggravated by the predominance of family and replacement, rather than regular benevolent, nonremunerated donors. Thus, in order to identify and encourage healthy, regular and benevolent nonremunerated donors, consenting first-time blood donors in the Yaoundé University Teaching Hospital were screened for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBSAg), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I (HTLV-I) and syphilis using standard methods. Of 252 first-time donors recruited, 66 (26.2%) were positive for at least one of the infections screened. There were 7.9% positive for HIV, 10.7% for HBSAg, 4.8% for HCV and 9.1 and 1.6%, respectively, for syphilis and HTLV-I. About 30% of the 66 infected persons had co-infections. HIV-positive donors had a significantly increased risk of being positive for antibodies to syphilis (OR = 7.27; 95% CI = 2.23-23.51; P = 0.0007), not observed for HBV, HCV and HTLV-I. These results suggest that blood transfusion is still very unsafe in this community and that it is imperative that emphasis be laid on donor education. Furthermore, donors with a history of sexually transmitted infections should be totally excluded from all donations.     

Total numbers of undiagnosed carriers of hepatitis C and B viruses in Japan estimated by age- and area-specific prevalence on the national scale

Objective: To estimate total numbers of undiagnosed carriers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Japan. Methods: Area- and age-specific prevalence of HCV as well as HBV was determined in the first-time blood donors [20-39 years (n = 2,429,364)] and examinees of periodical health check-ups [40-74 years (6,204,968 for HCV and 6,228,967 for HBV)] in Japan. Prevalence in adolescents [5-19 years (79,256 for HCV and 68,792 for HBV)] was determined in a single prefecture, and that of HCV in the elderly (≥ 75 years) was estimated by the exponential model. HBV infection was determined by the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen, and HCV infection by either the algorithm or assuming persistent infection in 70% of the individuals with antibody to HCV. Results: Of the total population of 127,285,653 in 2005, 807,903 (95% CI 679,886-974,292) were estimated to be infected with HCV at a carrier rate of 0.63%, and 903,145 (837,189-969,572) with HBV at that of 0.71%. Conclusion: Accurate estimation of undiagnosed HCV and HBV carriers in the general population would help to predict the future burden of liver disease, and take appropriate measures for improving healthcare.