HBV transmission from an occult carrier with five mutations in the major hydrophilic region of HBsAg to an immunosuppressed plasma recipient

Abstract

We describe the case of transmission of an HBsAg-negative hepatitis B infection to an immunosuppressed patient by plasma donation from an HBsAg-negative subject, but with very low serum HBV DNA (about 50 IU/ml) and five mutations in the major hydrophilic region of HBsAg.

Keywords: ALT; HBIG; HBV; HBV infection; HBsAg; HBsAg mutants; MHR; NAT; OBI; Occult HBV infection; PC; Transfusion; alanine amino-transferase; hepatitis B immunoglobulin; hepatitis B surface antigen; hepatitis B virus; major hydrophilic region; nucleic acid amplification technique; occult HBV infection; polymerase chain reaction.