HBsAg Seropositivity Research Articles

Prevalence and risk factors for blood-borne viruses among multi-transfused patients in Sana'a City, Yemen

Background: Blood-borne viruses (BBVs), like hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among multi-transfused patients (MTPs), remain a major public health problem in Yemen. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of BBVs and associated risk factors among MTPs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on MTPs at the Yemeni Society for Thalassemia, National Oncology Center, and Al Kuwait University Hospital in Sana’a City. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a predesigned questionnaire. Blood samples were drawn and tested for HBsAg, anti-HCV, and HIV-1,2 by using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay technique. Results: Among 361 MTPs, the overall seroprevalence of BBVs was 6.8%; seropositivity of HBsAg, anti-HCV, and anti-HIV-1,2 was 3.9%, 2.9%, and 0.0%, respectively. An increase in family size and low income were significantly associated factors with HBV infection. In addition, increases in age and blood transfusion units were found to be significant predictors for HCV (p<0.05). Conclusion: Although the seroprevalence of BBVs is low, it remains a major problem among MTPs. The most frequent infection was HBV, followed by HCV, with a significantly higher rate among leukemia patients. Regular mentoring for viral markers and mandatory implementation of HCV antigen-antibodies testing as well as advanced technology in blood screening are highly recommended.

Hepatitis B Prevalence and Referral Rates in Vulnerable Populations Undergoing Community-Based Screening-Results from the LIVE(RO)2 Program.

Background: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) remains a major global health challenge, with significant morbidity and mortality associated with chronic infections. Methods: This study examines the epidemiology, screening, and risk factors associated with HBV in Romania, focusing on a comprehensive national screening program, LIVE(RO)2, involving 320,000 individuals (majority of them considered vulnerable population). A questionnaire was used to collect information on the potential risk factors for HBV transmission. Results: The overall prevalence rate of HBV chronic infection among all the participants tested was 1.67% (confidence interval: 1.63-1.72%), with significant differences (p = 0.0001) between participants from the main geographical regions of residence (North-East 1.89%, South 1.38%, South-East 2.06%, and South-West 1.54%). Male persons aged 30-49 or 60-69 years old, from the rural and Eastern parts of Romania and non-Romanian ethnia, with a low level of education, unvaccinated, not married, unemployed, with family members with hepatitis, with personal histories of blood or blood product transfusion, surgical interventions, tattooing, hospitalizations, imprisonment, haemodialysis, unsafe sexual contacts, or with sexual transmitted infectious diseases were risk factors associated with HBsAg seropositivity. Conclusions: Our findings highlight significant demographic and epidemiological patterns of reduced HBV prevalence even in vulnerable persons, as well as modified risk factors and the impact of socio-economic factors.

Prevalence and associated factors for hepatitis B infection among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at SOS Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a leading cause of chronic hepatitis, maternal complications, and neonatal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Mother-to-child transmission is a major route of HBV transmission in endemic areas. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B infection and its associated factors among pregnant women attending Antenatal Care clinics at SOS Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. The research followed a cross-sectional design, and the participants were chosen through systematic random sampling, including every fifth outpatient. Each participant provided a blood sample for standard testing, and their consent was obtained before conducting Hepatitis B screening using the ELISA method. In our study of 384 pregnant women, 43 individuals (11.2%) tested positive for HBsAg. The frequency of HBsAg seropositivity was significantly higher in subjects with no education when compared to those with primary education (AOR = 0.1, 95% CI: 0.01-0.96, p = 0.046). Caesarian Section (AOR = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.004-0.0103, p = 0.001), blood transfusion (AOR = 11.6, 95% CI: 3.44-38.08, p = 0.001), previous dental procedures (AOR = 0.1, 95% CI: 0.04-0.38, p = 0.001), and unsafe injections in the past (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.09-0.91, p = 0.035) were identified as significant risk factors for hepatitis positivity. The study found a higher prevalence of hepatitis B compared to previous studies. Factors such as blood transfusion, dental procedures, Caesarian Section, and unsafe injections were associated with hepatitis B infection. It is essential to raise awareness, promote preventive measures, and implement routine screening for pregnant women so as to stop the transmission of hepatitis B to their children.

Immune-Escape Mutations Are Prevalent among Patients with a Coexistence of HBsAg and Anti-HBs in a Tertiary Liver Center in the United States.

The concurrent seropositivity of HBsAg and anti-HBs has been described among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), but its prevalence is variable. HBV S-gene mutations can affect the antigenicity of HBsAg. Patients with mutations in the 'α' determinant region of the S gene can develop severe HBV reactivation under immunosuppression. In this study at a tertiary liver center in the United States, we evaluated the frequency and virological characteristics of the HBsAg mutations among CHB patients with the presence of both HBsAg and anti-HBs. In this cohort, 45 (2.1%) of 2178 patients were identified to have a coexistence of HBsAg and anti-HBs, and 24 had available sera for the genome analysis of the Pre-S1, Pre-S2, and S regions. The frequency of mutations in the S gene was significantly higher among those older than 50 years (mean 8.5 vs. 5.4 mutations per subject, p = 0.03). Twelve patients (50%) had mutations in the 'α' determinant region of the S gene. Mutations at amino acid position 126 were most common in eight subjects. Three had a mutation at position 133. Only one patient had a mutation at position 145-the classic vaccine-escape mutation. Despite the universal HBV vaccination program, the vaccine-escape mutant is rare in our cohort of predominantly Asian patients.

Treatment patterns, clinical outcomes and gene mutation characteristics of hepatitis B virus-associated mantle cell lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an uncommon and incurable B-cell lymphoma subtype that has an aggressive course. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been associated with an increased risk for B-cell lymphomas, and is characterized by distinct clinical and genetic features. Here, we showed that 9.5% of MCL Chinese patients were hepatitis B surface antigen positive (HBsAg+). Compared to HBsAg-negative (HBsAg-) patients, HBsAg+ MCL patients had a greater incidence of elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), but no difference was observed in the other clinical characteristics, including sex, age, ECOG ps, Ann Arbor stage, MIPI, extranodal involvement and Ki-67. The HD-AraC (high-dose cytarabine) regimen was the main first-line induction regimen for younger HBsAg+ patients, and cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) were used for elderly patients. HBsAg seropositivity was associated with a significantly shorter PFS than HBsAg seronegativity when patients were treated with rituximab or CHOP-based regimens. Compared with CHOP, the HD-AraC regimen was associated with longer PFS in HBsAg+ patients. Treatment with a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) alone can also cause HBV reactivation. Among the 74 patients who underwent targeted deep sequencing (TDS), the nonsynonymous mutation load of HBsAg+ MCL patients was greater than that of HBsAg- MCL patients. HDAC1, TRAF5, FGFR4, SMAD2, JAK3, SMC1A, ZAP70, BLM, CDK12, PLCG2, SMO, TP63, NF1, PTPR, EPHA2, RPTOR and FIP1L1 were significantly enriched in HBsAg+ MCL patients.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of HBV, HCV and HIV among hemodialysis patients: a multicenter cross-sectional study from Damascus Syria

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to determine the prevalence rates of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections among hemodialysis (HD) patients as well as to identify associated risk factors.MethodologyA multicenter cross-sectional study involved patients who had been on HD for at least three months. The study was conducted at five HD centers in Damascus, Syria from August 2019 to September 2021. HBsAg, HCV-Ab and HIV (antibody/antigen) seropositivity were identified using the third generation ELISA technique. Patients’ information was extracted from their records and by face-to-face interview. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to identify risk factors associated with HBV or HCV seropositivity. The significance level was set at 5%.ResultsA total of 637 patients were included in the study with a mean age (SD) of 50.5 (15.6) years and 56.7% of them were men. The dialytic age ranged from one to thirty years with a mean (SD) of 6.10 (5.6) years. The prevalence of positive hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-HCV, co-infection of HBV and HCV, and anti-HIV (antibody/antigen) were 3.2%, 22.1%, 0.7%, and 0%, respectively. After controlling for co-variables, hepatitis B vaccine was the only predictor of seropositivity of HBV (OR: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.057–0.393, P < 0.001), as it significantly protected against contracting HBV. On the other hand, the dialytic age (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12–1.94, P = 0.032) and the dialysis center were significant factors affecting the prevalence of HCV.ConclusionsThe prevalence of HCV and HBV infections among HD patients in Damascus, Syria has decreased remarkably compared with the results from 2001. Nevertheless, it is still considered relatively high. Thus, there is an urgent need to strengthen the prevention and control measures for viral infection transmission in HD centers in Damascus.

Serocomparison between Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays for detection HBsAg and total HBcAb among blood donors at National Blood Transfusion and Research Center- Taiz Branch, Taiz, Yemen

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a small, circular, partial double stranded DNA virus classified under hepadnaviridae. Almost more than 350 million HBV infected persons were reported universally. Blood/its product transfusion represents one of the commonly routes of HBV transmission that may increase the HBV infection globally. HBV is diagnosed routinely by detection of both HBV specific antigens (HBsAg, HBcAg, HBeAg) and antibody markers (HBcAb). ELISA and Electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA) are the most common methods to detect HBV antigens or antibodies. This study aimed to compare between ECLIA (Cobas e 411) and ELISA for detecting HBsAg and Total HBcAb among blood donors at National Blood Transfusion Center-Taiz branch (NBTRC-TB). 125 blood samples that were tested by ECLIA were chosen randomly and re-tested using ELISA method. The result of HBsAg seropositivity by ELISA method appeared as 28/125 (22.4%) compared to 25/125 (20%) by ECLIA method; whereas the result of total HBcAb seropositivity by ELISA method appeared as102/125(81.6%) compared to 100/125(80%) by ECLIA method. The current study appears to be a rapprochement between the results of two methods (ELISA and ECLIA) for detection HBsAg and HBcAb). In abscess of ECLIA, ELISA could be a good technique for blood screening before transfusion. Using molecular methods such as PCR will be more a curate to ensure blood safety before transfusion.

The interplay of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and viral hepatitis on liver disease severity: A large community-based study in a viral endemic area.

The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and its interplay with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in terms of liver disease severity is elusive. A mass surveillance program was conducted in a viral hepatitis endemic area. The objective was to identify MAFLD/non-MAFLD subjects with advanced liver disease. Two thousand two hundred and forty-two (41.7%) of the 5378 subjects were identified as having MAFLD, and 375 (7.0%) had advanced liver disease. The proportions of anti-HCV and HBsAg seropositivity were 19.3% and 9.7%, respectively. The proportions of advanced fibrosis in subjects with non-viral hepatitis (NBNC), HBV and HCV infection were 2.8%, 5.7% and 23.4%, respectively. Subjects with MAFLD had a significantly higher proportion of advanced fibrosis (8.7% vs 5.7%, P<0.001). Factors associated with advanced fibrosis included age (odds ratio [OR]/95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.8/3.7-6.0, P<0.001), male sex (OR/CI: 1.3/1.0-1.7, P=0.019), anti-HCV seropositivity (OR/CI: 5.9/4.6-7.5, P=0.019), MAFLD-lean metabolic dysregulation (MS) (OR/CI: 2.6/1.3-5.2, P=0.005; compared with the non-MAFLD group) and MAFLD-diabetes (OR/CI: 1.5/1.1-2.1, P=0.008; compared with the non-MAFLD group). MAFLD did not aggravate liver disease severity in patients with viral hepatitis. However, among NBNC subjects, factors associated with advanced liver disease included MAFLD-lean MS group (OR/CI: 9.1/2.4-34.6, P=0.001; compared with non-MAFLD group) and MAFLD-DM group (OR/CI: 2.0/1.2-3.2, P=0.004; compared with non-MAFLD group). MAFLD patients with diabetes and metabolic dysregulation had a higher risk of advanced liver disease. The effect was more significant in non-viral hepatitis subjects in a community level.

Performance and effectiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma screening in individuals with HBsAg seropositivity in China: a multicenter prospective study.

Current guidelines recommend hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance for at-risk individuals, including individuals with hepatitis B virus infection. However, the performance and survival benefits of annual screening have not been evaluated through multicenter prospective studies in a Chinese population. Between 2017 and 2021, we included 14,426 participants with hepatitis B surface antigen seropositivity in an annual HCC screening study in China using a multicenter prospective design with ultrasonography and serum alpha-fetoprotein. After four rounds of screening and follow-up, the adjusted hazard ratios of death after correction for lead-time and length-time biases for screen-detected cancers at the prevalent and incident rounds were 0.74 (95% confidence interval = 0.60-0.91) and 0.52 (95% confidence interval = 0.40-0.68), respectively. A meta-analysis demonstrated that HCC screening was associated with improved survival after adjusting for lead-time bias. Our findings highlight the 'real-world' feasibility and effectiveness of annual HCC screening in community settings for the early detection of HCC and to improve survival.

An Example of the Importance of Electronic Health Records from Mogadishu, Somalia: Hepatitis B Prevalence and Co-infections with Hepatitis C

The epidemiology of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been discussed in detail from different aspects around the world. Current epidemiological data has critical importance in the planning and carrying out of public health policies for the prevention of transmission and spread of these infections, and the treatment of chronic infections, and to reduce the burden and mortality associated with complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer by national health authorities and international health institutions, especially the World Health Organization. Elimination of a social health problem is possible by first raising awareness, then determining the dimensions of the problem, and planning and implementing interventions for a solution. Somalia was in the position of a region where access to diagnosis and treatment for many life-threatening diseases was difficult, aside from the monitoring of public health criteria due to the unstable situations that has continued for more than 40 years. Until recently, basic health parameters and epidemiological predictions in Somalia were monitored through estimates based on data from neighboring countries or on data obtained from small groups from Somalia immigrants settled different parts of the world. However, this situation is changing rapidly. A tertiary education and research hospital established in the capital, Mogadishu, with the coordination of the Türkiye and Somalia governments, and which has become the largest health center in the country today; contributes to understanding the extent of the serious health problems faced by the country by pioneering specialized training and scientific studies, in addition to providing health care. Electronic health records have been kept regularly since 2015 in this hospital, where hundreds of thousands of patients receive treatment or undergo health checks every year and it has been the source of numerous retrospective epidemiological studies some of which have exceeded 100 thousand cases, in different age groups and sub-populations. These studies include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence and complications, HCV prevalence and genotype distribution, prevalence and epidemiology of parasitic infections, incidence of tuberculosis and related complications, cancer incidence and distribution, causes of blindness, thyroid diseases, antibiotic resistance profiles, and the epidemiology of various organ-specific diseases. Dozens of studies using the hospital records were included in the scientific literature between 2020 and 2023. In this study, a four-year period between November 2015 and November 2019, HBV serological test results of more than 100,000 different patients are presented. HBsAg and anti-HBs seropositivity for all age groups was found to be 8.1% (9,405/115,946) and 32.7% (25,988/79,410), respectively. When the anti-HCV test results of HBsAg positive patients were examined, the rate of HCV co-infections was found to be 0.9% (82/9,405). HBsAg and anti-HBs seropositivity were significantly higher in males than females (p&lt;0.001). HBV, HCV, and co-infection incidence tended to decrease. Conversely, vaccination rates (especially in children under one year of age) tended to increase. While the comprehensive data presented in this study provide us with important and new information about the prevalence and co-infection rates of viral hepatitis in the country, many topics including HBV genotypes, hepatitis D frequency, access to treatment rates, complication rates, and HBV vaccination rates are still waiting to be researched in Somalia. In the region where it is not possible to carry out field studies, epidemiological data provided by electronic health records have become a country's window to the world.

Study on Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen among Patients Visiting Tertiary Care Centre

Introduction: Hepatitis caused by hepatitis B virus is potentially a fatal liver infection. It causes acute and chronicliver disease and puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis and hepato-cellular carcinoma. The study of theprevalence of a disease helps in establishing the magnitude of the problem.Aim: To estimate HbsAg sero-positivity among patient attending tertiary care centre.Materials and Methods: Present study was conducted in department of microbiology at district hospital attachedto Kodagu institute of medical sciences from june 2019 to may 2021. A total 20,676 samples were tested for hepatitisB surface antigen using qualitative one step rapid immune chromatographic test kit. Details of various sociodemographicvariables of the patients were collected. The test results of the patient were noted and analyzed.Results: Total of 20,676 serum samples were tested of which 135 (0.65%) were sero-positive for HBsAg. Among135 sero-positive, 55 (0.26%) were males and 80(0.38%) were female patients. The age ranging from 21-31 yearsshowed the highest prevalence. 8.88% had HIV &amp; HBV co-infection.Conclusion: Present study highlights the prevalence of hepatitis B infection among patients attending tertiary carecentre in Kodagu. Apart from knowing the sero-prevalance, age &amp; sex correlation, HIV;HBV co-infection was alsoassessed, it was found that the prevalence was higher in young adults. Knowing the prevalence leads to betterunderstanding about the magnitude of the disease in a particular geographical area and highlights the importanceof control measures.

Sero - Prevalence and Associated Factors of Hepatitis B Virus Among Pregnant Women at Wolkite Health Center

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a public health problem worldwide. It is highly endemic in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Even though there was an introduction of universal infants HBV immunization in 2007, distribution of HBV remains a public health problem in Ethiopia. Objective: To determine the sero-prevalence of HBs Ag among pregnant women and to identify Factors associated with the infection. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 1-August 1, 2021 among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic (ANC) of Wolkite Health Center. After obtaining written and informed consent, blood sample was collected from 270 pregnant women using consecutive non- duplicative sampling method. Serum was separated from whole blood and tested for using Bioline strip test. Data was collected using pre-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between explanatory variables and the outcome variables. The result was considered statistically significant at p &lt; 0.05. Result: In this study, 270 pregnant women were participated. The overall prevalence of sero-positive HBS Ag among pregnant women was 15(5.6%). The study participants having history of abortion [AOR=0.024; 95%CI (.003-.165), p=0.000] and multiple sexual practice [AOR=0.013, 95%Cl (.001- .154), p=0.001] significantly predictor of Hepatitis B virus infection. Conclusion: The sero prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was increased among study participants. From assessed associated factor history of abortion and multiple sexual practice were significantly associated with sero-prevalence of HBV infection. Do to these reason routine screening of women for HBV infection during pregnancy and ANC follow up.

Sero - Prevalence and Associated Factors of Hepatitis B Virus among Pregnant Women at Wolkite Health Center

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a public health problem worldwide. It is highly endemic in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Even though there was an introduction of universal infants HBV immunization in 2007, distribution of HBV remains a public health problem in Ethiopia. Objective: To determine the sero-prevalence of HBsAg among pregnant women and to identify Factors associated with the infection. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 1-August 1, 2021 among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic (ANC) of Wolkite Health Center. After obtaining written and informed consent, blood sample was collected from 270 pregnant women using consecutive non- duplicative sampling method. Serum was separated from whole blood and tested for using Bioline strip test. Data was collected using pre-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between explanatory variables and the outcome variables. The result was considered statistically significant at p &lt; 0.05. Result:In this study, 270 pregnant women were participated. The overall prevalence of sero-positive HBS Ag among pregnant women was 15(5.6%). The study participants having history of abortion [AOR=0.024; 95%CI (.003-.165), p=0.000] and multiple sexual practice [AOR=0.013, 95%Cl (.001-.154), p=0.001] significantly predictor of Hepatitis B virus infection. Conclusion: The seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was increased among study participants. From assessed associated factor history of abortion and multiple sexual practice were significantly associated with sero-prevalence of HBV infection. Do to these reason routine screening of women for HBV infection during pregnancy and ANC follow up.

Hepatitis B and C among Multi-Transfused Pediatric Thalassemic Patients in Sana'a City, Yemen: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Objective: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B and C infections and their association with repeated blood transfusions among thalassemic children attending the Yemen Society for Thalassemia and Genetic Blood Disorders (YSTGBD) in Sana’a city, Yemen.Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed the medical records of 195 thalassemic children aged &lt;18 years taken who were attending the YSTGBD from January 2008 to December 2018. Data about the gender and age of the child, time of thalas- semia diagnosis, frequency of monthly blood transfusions, hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination status, hepatitis B infection and hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropositivity were retrieved from the records into a data collection sheet. Data were then analyzed and summarized as frequencies and proportions. The association between the independent variables and infection with hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C was tested using the chi-square test.Results: The majority of thalassemic children attending the YSTGBD were males (58.5%), aged 8 years or older (81.0%), diag- nosed with thalassemia at 6 months of age or older (71.8%, were receiving ≤500 ml of transfused blood per month (88.7%) and had been vaccinated against HBV (72.8%). Regarding the serostatus for viral hepatitis, 15.4% (30/195) of children were seroposi- tive for the antibodies against HCV, 13.3% (26/195) were infected with hepatitis B as confirmed by HBsAg seropositivity, and 4.1% (8/195) were concomitantly seropositive for HBsAg and anti-HCV. Not getting vaccinated against HBV was significantly associated with infection with HBV (P &lt;0.001), where 45.3% of unvaccinated children were seropositive compared to 1.4% of vaccinated children. In contrast, gender, age, age at thalassemia diagnosis and the quantity of monthly transfused blood were not significantly associated with infection with hepatitis B, anti-HCV seropositivity, or concomitant seropositivity for HBsAg and anti- HCV among thalassemic children.Conclusions: Viral hepatitis is a major problem for thalassemic children seeking healthcare in institutions of concern in Yemen, but it is rather difficult to assess the status of hepatitis C infection because of the lack of confirmatory tests. On the other hand, vaccination against HBV is significantly associated with a lower prevalence of hepatitis B among thalassemic children, highlighting the need for vaccinating all thalassemic children before enrollment in specialized centers of care. Thalassemic children should be screened for blood-borne viruses, including hepatitis viruses, before the establishment of regular blood transfusions.

Demographic features and hematological profile in patients of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in southern Punjab Pakistan.

Objective: To generate data regarding clinicohematological findings of CLL in patients of Southern Punjab Pakistan. Study Design: Descriptive Cross-sectional study. Setting: Hematology Section Pathology Department, Nishtar Medical University, Multan. Period: January 2016 to September 2019. Material &amp; Methods: A total of 44 patients of all age groups diagnosed as CLL were enrolled. Diagnosis was made on morphology and immunohistochemistry of bone marrow trephine biopsies and cases without immunohistochemical panel were excluded from the study. Clinical features and baseline tests were evaluated in all cases. The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 23.0. Results: Out of 44 patients, majority were males (70.5%). Mean age was 51±12.6 years. B symptoms were present in 71% patients. Lymph nodes were enlarged in 44%. Splenic and hepatic enlargement was seen in 32% and 15.9% respectively. Anemia was seen in 45.5% and thrombocytopenia in 34.1%. Bone marrow was infiltrated in 100% patients and the most common pattern of infiltration was diffuse (65%). CD20 and CD5 were positive in all of the cases (100%) and CD23 in 96%. Seropositivity for both anti HCV and HBsAg was present in 2.3%. Conclusion: The clinicohematological features of CLL in our patients show some differences to the cited literature with a greater majority presenting at younger age with diffuse bone marrow involvement having lower positivity for HBsAg, anti HCV and less hepatosplenomegaly.

Correlation of ABO-Rh blood group and transfusion transmitted infections (TTI) among blood donors

The present study was conducted with the aim to determine the pattern of distribution and to detect association of transfusion transmitted infections (TTI) with ABO and Rh blood groups.A retrospective study was conducted at the Prathama blood centre, Ahmedabad, India over a period of five years from 01/01/2016 to 31/12/2020. A total of 1,43,687 healthy voluntary donors were included in the study. At the time of donation, blood samples are collected in plain and EDTA vaccuttes for TTI testing. Along with blood group and antibody screening, all the donor blood units were screened for HbsAg, HIV, HCV, Syphilis and Malaria. All testing was done with fully automated ELISA system (Bio-rad) and majority of the samples were subjected to NAT testing also. In the current study, sero-reactive samples from ELISA testing are included.The most common blood group was B positive (33.62%) while the least common was AB Negative (0.52%). The total sero-reactivity of TTI was 0.58%. Out of the total 1,43,687, 0.31% donors were reactive for HbsAg, 0.047% for HIV, 0.036% for HCV, and 0.19% for syphilis. Maximum sero-reactivity was seen in blood group B positive (0.19%) and O positive (0.17%) followed by A positive (0.13%). A significant association was seen between Rh Positive and Rh-negative blood group and HbsAg seropositivity. In TPHA positive donors, there was also significant association between TPHA infection and Rh-positive and Rh-negative blood group. Seropositivity for TTI was found more in Rh positive donors. Blood group B positive showed highest seropositivity for TTI (0.19%). There was no significant association of TTI with any other blood group. However, only one B negative blood group revealed seropositivity for HCV. Therefore, more studies are required for association of blood groups with TTI.

Hepatitis B or C viral infection and the risk of cervical cancer

BackgroundThe present study aimed to evaluate the effects of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the risk of cervical cancer.MethodsWe conducted a case–control study including 838 cervical cancer cases and 838 benign disease controls matched for age, ethnicity, and place of birth. Venous blood was tested for HBV and HCV serological markers. Multiple odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for cervical cancer were estimated using logistic regression. HBV antigens were examined using immunohistochemical staining.ResultsAnti-HCV was positive in 10 cases (1.2%) and 0 controls (0%). Cases had higher percentage of chronic HBV infection (HBsAg-positive/anti-HBc-positive) and prior HBV infection (HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc-positive) than controls (6.3% vs 4.4%; 11.6% vs 7.3%). Both chronic HBV infection (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.0–2.4) and prior HBV infection (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2–2.4) were associated with cervical cancer in univariate logistic regression analyses. In subgroup analysis among HPV-positive patients, the association between chronic HBV infection and cervical cancer disappeared (OR 1.2; 95% CI 0.4–3.4); while in subgroup among patients younger than 50 years, the association remained significant with adjustment for HPV infection and parity (adjusted OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.0–4.4). HBsAg and HBcAg were detected in 8% and 12% of cervical cancer cases who had seropositive HBsAg, respectively. Compared with the benign controls, individuals with both HBsAg and HPV positive had an increased risk of cervical cancer (adjusted OR 67.1; 95% CI 23.4–192.7).ConclusionsHBV infection was associated with cervical cancer in patients with age younger than 50 years. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm this relationship.

Husband’s behavior and early marriage as risk factors for hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia

Background and purpose: Indonesia is categorized as a country with moderate level of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, where the majority of HBV transmissions occur from mother to child, horizontal transmission during childhood and adulthood, and transmission in health services. This study aims to determine factors associated with HBV infection among pregnant women. Methods: A case control study was conducted among 80 pregnant women with sero-positive HBsAg as cases and 80 pregnant women with sero-negative HBsAg as controls. The sources of cases and controls were the registers of pregnant women at 12 public health centers (PHCs) and Karangasem District Hospital from June 2017 to December 2018. Cases were selected by systematic random sampling from 129 pregnant women with sero-positive HBsAg and controls were selected through the same method from 1,408 pregnant women with sero-negative HBsAg. They were then matched based on village or residence. Data collected were including history of marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and abortion, history of health services relevant to HBV infection, use of contraception, mobility, permanent tattoos and history of injecting drug use. Data collection was carried out from June to August 2019 through face-to-face interviews with pregnant women as respondents in their respective homes using a pre-tested questionnaire. Bivariate data analysis was conducted with chi square test and multivariate analysis with logistic regression. Results: The case and control groups were similar in terms of age, number of pregnancy and parity. Risk factors which found to be significantly associated with HBV infection in pregnant women were age at first marriage &lt;19 years with AOR=2.51 (95%CI: 1.13-5.60), history of husband’s mobility with AOR=3.07 (95%CI: 1.13-8.34), husband has a permanent tattoo with AOR=2.77 (95%CI: 1.04-7.44) and low level of maternal education with AOR=2.47 (95%CI: 1.06-5.73). Conclusion: Young marital age, low education, husband’s mobility and husband with permanent tattoos increase the likelihood of HBV infection among pregnant women. The coverage of HBV examination among pregnant women and early detection of HBV among husbands ought to be increased, especially among those with associated risk factors.

Impacts of hepatitis b infection in patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma.

e18051 Background: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection was known to be have impacts of occurrence and survival in different malignancies. We aim to evaluate the clinical association with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) and HBV infection. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on the medical records and cancer registry database at the Taichung Veterans General Hospital (Taichung, Taiwan) between January 2007 and December 2015. Patients with histologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx were enrolled in the study. HBV infection was defined as HBsAg seropositivity. Clinical features, hepatic function test and five-year overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with and without HBV infection. Results: A total of 1826 HNSCC patients were analyzed. 225 of them (12.3%) were proved HBV-infected. The HBV-infected patients was diagnosed at younger age (&lt; 65 years; 76.1% vs. 65.5%, p&lt; 0.012) and had a higher proportion of initial liver cirrhosis (11.6% vs. 3.6%, p&lt; 0.001) and hepatic dysfunction (10.7% vs. 6.1%, p= 0.009) included elevation of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and prothrombin time expressed as international normalized ratio (INR). The other baseline characteristics were similar. The five-year OS were 52.9% and 48.6% in the HNSCC patients with or without HBV infection, respectively ( p= 0.341). The incidence of later founded hepatic dysfunction during follow-up was similar (31.1% vs 26.2%, p= 0.122). Conclusions: Information from this study indicated that HBV-infected HNSCC patients may present in younger age, more initial liver cirrhosis, and hepatic dysfunction. However, HBV infection did not have negative impacts on survival outcome and later founded hepatic dysfunction in those patients. Characteristics and survival of HBsAg (+) vs. HBsAg (-) HNSCC Patients[Table: see text]

HBsAg Seroprevalance and Affecting Factors in Patients Attending Emergency Department

Aim: To determine the seroprevalence of HBsAg in the emergency unit while determining risk for transmission and associated socidemographics. Method: In this study, we accessed the records of 693 patients with various complaints, who had their HBsAg checked in the emergency department, retrospectively. Binominal logistic regression and chi-square test was used for data analysis to determine predictors of HBsAg seropositivity. Results: Of the total 693 patients, 57.3% (n=397) of the patients were male and the mean age was 53.8±21.6 (4-99). 58.6% (n=405) of the patients lived in the urban area while 95.5% (n=662) had health insurance. 41.1% (n=288) of the admitted patients had at least one chronic disease. The HBsAg seroprevalence of those included in the study was 3.3%. The highest prevalence of HBsAg seropositivity was recorded in the 41-60 age group with a rate of 5.2%. Anti-HBs seroprevalence was 44.6% (n=311), Anti-HCV seroprevalence was 0.6% (n=4) and Anti-HIV was 0.3% (n=3). Lower Anti-HBs was found as a significant risk factor for Hepatitis B infection (p=0.003), patients who had non-protective Anti-HBs levels were at tenfold risk of contracting Hepatitis B compared to their Anti-HBs positive counterparts. Conclusion: The prevalence of hepatitis B in our study was at an intermediate epidemic level. Testing at every opportunity even in the emergency service is a suitable strategy for the prevention and control of hepatitis B. The findings are similar to other available data in our region. We suggest that low Anti-HBs level is the most significant risk factor for HBsAg seropositivity. More expanded and comprehensive studies should be carried in the whole population.