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J Med Virol 2002 Sep;68(1):41-9Related Articles, Links


Hepatitis B virus transmission in Brazilian hemodialysis units: Serological
and molecular follow-up.

Teles SA, Martins RM, Gomes SA, Gaspar AM, Araujo NM, Souza KP, Carneiro MA,
Yoshida CF.

Faculdade de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal de Goias (UFG), Goias, Brazil.

A serological and molecular study of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was
carried out in dialysis units in Central Brazil. Between 1995 and 1999,
serum samples from all HBsAg-positive hemodialysis patients (n = 43) were
tested for HBeAg/anti-HBe and subtyping by monoclonal ELISA. HBV DNA was
detected by PCR and positive samples were genotyped by restriction fragment
polymorphism pattern (RFLP) methodology. TheHBsAg prevalence declined in
this population during the survey period (12-5.8%). HBeAg and anti-HBe were
detected in 23 (53.5%) and 18 (41.9%) sera, respectively. Thirty-six samples
could be HBsAg subtyped: 21 were subtype ayw(3), 14 belonged to adw(2) and
one was identified as adw(4). HBV DNA was present in 30 serum samples. Of
these, 20 (66.7%) were genotype D, 9 (30%) genotype A, and 1 (3.3%) genotype
F. In addition, the RFLP pattern could be determined in samples from 18/20
genotype D patients: D3 (10 strains), D7 (7 strains) and D4 (1 strain); from
8/9 genotype A patients: A1 (6 strains) and A3 (2 strains); and from the
patient infected with genotype F: F1. Patterns D3 and D7 were associated
closely with HBV infection in the two largest hemodialysis units studied.
These findings confirm the value of the RFLP method as an effective
molecular epidemiological tool for elucidating HBV transmission in
hemodialysis units. J. Med. Virol. 68:41-49, 2002. Copyright 2002
Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 12210429 [PubMed - in process]