HBV-HDV en donantes de sangre: prevalencia y análisis molecular / Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis D virus in blood donors: prevalence and molecular analysis in an Argentinean population

The aim of this report was to determine retrospectively the prevalence of hepatitis viruses infection by both HBV and HDV, and to identify the genotype in a population of blood donors. From 42,055 sample of donors, the authors study the hepatitis B virus and hepatitis D virus prevalence and molecular analysis in an Argentinean population. The results obtained are detailed in the article.

Prevalencia de infección por HTLV-I/II en donantes de sangre de la Provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina / Prevalence of HTLV-I/II infection among blood donors in Santa Fe Province, Argentina

Subsequent to the National Epidemiologic Surveillance Program developed in 1997 by the National AIDS Program, anti-HTLV-I/II antibodies among blood donors in Santa Fe Province started to be detected. On the basis of this initial finding, it was regarded of interest to evaluate the true HTLV-I/II seroprevalence in this population during a four-year survey. Thus, from 1997 up to 2002, 9425 samples were studied from 17 out of the 19 provincial departments. Out of the total sampling, 38 proved reactive by agglutination techniques, 18 of which were confirmed by western blot (WB). Out of the latter, 10 were HTLV-I/II seropositive with a final prevalence of 0.1% (10/9425), whereas 7 were indeterminate and 1 negative. Among these 10 confirmed sera, 2 (0.02%) were HTLV, 3 (0.03%) HTLV-I and 5 (0.05%) HTLV-II. It should be highlighted that the presence of HTLV-I/II infection in blood donors in Santa Fe Province was demonstrated for the first time, with a prevalence greater than that reported for blood donors in non-endemic Argentine areas. Such findings confirm the need of corresponding systematic screening through regulatory blood bank norms in Santa Fe Province.

Subsecuentemente a que en 1997 el Programa Nacional de SIDA implementó un Programa de Vigilancia Epidemiológica a escala nacional, se comenzaron a detectar anticuerpos anti-HTLV-I/II en donantes de sangre de la Provincia de Santa Fe. En base a ese hallazgo inicial, se consideró pertinenteestimar la seroprevalencia de HTLV-I/II en donantes santafecinos en el curso de los 4 años siguientes. Así,desde 1997 hasta 2002, se estudiaron 9425 muestras provenientes de 17 de los 19 departamentos de laProvincia. Del total de muestras, 38 resultaron reactivas por técnicas de tamizaje, y de ellas 18 fueron confirmadas por western blot (WB). De esas muestras, 10 fueron HTLV-I/II seropositivas con una prevalencia finalde 0.1% (10/9425), en tanto que 7 resultaron indeterminadas y 1 negativa. De las seropositivas, 2 (0.02 %)eran HTLV, 3 (0.03 %) HTLV-I, y 5 (0.05 %) HTLV-II. Cabe destacar que por primera vez se constató lapresencia de infección por HTLV-I/II en donantes de sangre de Santa Fe, y con una prevalencia mayor a lasreferidas para donantes de sangre de áreas no endémicas de Argentina. Estos datos fundamentan la necesidadde un screening sistemático para la infección por HTLV-I/II mediante normas regulatorias en bancos desangre de esta provincia..

Human immunodeficiency virus bDNA assay for pediatric cases

Techniques to quantify plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL) are commercially available, and they are adequate for monitoring adults infected by HIV and treated with antiretroviral drugs. Little experience on HIV VL has been reported in pediatric cases. In Argentina, the evaluation of several assays for VL in pediatrics are now being considered. To evaluate the pediatric protocol for bDNA assay in HIV-infected children, 25 samples from HIV-infected children (according to CDC criteria for pediatric AIDS) were analyzed by using Quantiplex HIV RNA 2.0 Assay (Chiron Corporation) following the manufacturer's recommendations in a protocol that uses 50 microliters of patient's plasma (sensitivity: 10,000 copies/ml). When HIV-RNA was not detected, samples were run with the 1 ml standard bDNA protocol (sensitivity: 500 HIV-RNA c/ml). Nine samples belonged to infants under 12 months of age (group A) and 16 were over 12 months (group B). All infants under one year of age had high HIV-RNA copies in plasma. VL ranged from 30,800 to 2,560,000 RNA copies/ml (median = 362,000 c/ml) for group A and < 10,000 to 554,600 c/ml (median = < 10,000) for group B. Only 25 of children in group B had detectable HIV-RNA. By using the standard test of quantification, none of the patients had non detectable HIV-RNA, ranging between 950 and 226,200 c/ml for group B (median = 23,300 RNA c/ml). The suggested pediatric protocol could be useful in children under 12 months of age, but 1 ml standard protocol must be used for older children. Samples with undetectable results from children under one year of age should be repeated using the standard protocol.