[Occult HBV infection in HBsAG negative and anti HBC positive blood donors]

In recent years with introduction of better screening tests, the risk of infection with transfusion- transmitted viruses has been reduced remarkably, although obtaining a zero-risk blood supply still remains international blood transfusion services goal. The routine test for detection of HBV infected blood samples is examination of HBsAg with ELISA method but in occult I-mV infection, HBsAg is not detectable by ELISA. Therefore, a more sensitive or complementary test is needed. Some international blood transfusion services have introduced anti-HBc screening as a surrogate test for the presence of HBV infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of occult I-IBV infection in Isfahanian blood donors and the potential value of anti- HBc testing of donors as a screening test to detect occult HBV infection. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 545 blood units were collected [from Isfahan blood center] and tested by HBsAg ELISA kit from April to June 2004 and then all HBsAg negative samples were tested by anti-HBc ELISA kit. To detect occult HBV infection, all HBsAg negative and anti-Mile positive samples were tested by PCR method. All samples were negative for HBsAg while 43 blood units were anti-HBc positive [8%]. These HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive blood units were tested for HBV DNA of which five units [% 11.6] were HBV DNA positive. Occult I-IBV infection is a clinical form of HBV infection that cannot be detected by usual method [ELISA] for HBsAg and therefore more sensitive techniques are needed for detection of FIBV infection. PCR is a sensitive technique that detects IIBV DNA even in a trace mounts. Our results identified that more sensitive and complementary tests such as, PC.R and anti-HBc, are essential and helpful to ensure safety of blood units

relationship between sperm protamine aberrations with protamine P1/ protamine P2 ratio

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between protamine deficiency assessed by CMA3 and protamine 1/ protamine 2 [P1/P2] ratio. This study was carried out on 71 patients referring to Isfahan Fertility and Infertility center. Semen analysis was assessed according to WHO criteria. CMA3 staining was use to determine protamine deficiency. P1/P2 ratio was evaluated by nuclear protein extraction, acetic acid urea poly acrylamide gel-electrophoresis and analysis of protein bands with related software. Western blot was carried out with primary anti P1 and anti P2 antibody to determine protamine 1 and protamine 2. Of the 71 patients 45 patients underwent Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection [ICSI]. A negative significant correlation was observed between fertilization rate with protamine deficiency and P1/P2 ratio. However, no significant correlation was observed between protamine deficiencies with P1/P2 ratio. The results of this study showed that protamine deficiency can be assessed by CMA3; however this procedure does not indicate type of protamine deficiency

[Correlation between in vitro fertilization with the level of antisperm antibody in seminal plasma measured by flow cytometry]

Antisperm antibodies [ASA] are present in%8-21 of infertile men. In vitro Fertilization [IVF] has been recommended as an effective procedure in couples with immunological male factor. Although this procedure has been found to bypass the inhibitory effect of antisperm antibodies on fertilizing ability of spermatozoa but the fertilization rate is reduced about%40 for ASA positive samples. The goal of present study was to investigate the correlation between anti-sperm antibodies measured by indirect flow cytometry and fertilization rate in infertile couples undergoing in vitro Fertilization [IVF]. Semen samples were collected from 80 infertile men undergoing IVF cycle in Isfahan fertility and infertility center. Couples were classified based on fertilization rate into high and low groups. 52 couples had high [>50%] and 28 couples had low fertilization rate [