Hepatitis B virus genotypes and evolutionary profiles from blood donors from the northwest region of China

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is prevalent in China and screening of blood donors is mandatory. Up to now, ELISA has been universally used by the China blood bank. However, this strategy has sometimes failed due to the high frequency of nucleoside acid mutations. Understanding HBV evolution and strain diversity could help devise a better screening system for blood donors. However, this kind of information in China, especially in the northwest region, is lacking. In the present study, serological markers and the HBV DNA load of 11 samples from blood donor candidates from northwest China were determined. The HBV strains were most clustered into B and C genotypes and could not be clustered into similar types from reference sequences. Subsequent testing showed liver function impairment and increasing virus load in the positive donors. This HBV evolutionary data for China will allow for better ELISA and NAT screening efficiency in the blood bank of China, especially in the northwest region

Erratum: 14 Years of Polish Experience in Non-Invasive Prenatal Blood Group Diagnosis

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Blood cell antigens may cause maternal alloimmunization leading to fetal/newborn disorders. Non-invasive prenatal diagnostics (NIPD) of the blood group permits the determination of feto-maternal incompatibility. <b><i>Aim: </i></b>To evaluate 14 years of blood group NIPD at the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine (IHTM) in Warsaw. <b><i>Methods: </i></b>Plasma DNA from 536 RhD-negative, 24 Rhc-negative, 26 RhE-negative, 43 K-negative, and 42 HPA-1a-negative pregnant women was examined by real-time PCR to detect <i>RHD, RHCE*c, RHCE*E</i>, <i>RHCE*C,</i><i>KEL*01</i> and <i>HPA*1A, </i>respectively. We tested for <i>CCR5</i>, <i>SRY</i> or bi-allelic polymorphisms and quantified the total or fetal DNA. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The results of fetal antigen status prediction by NIPD in all but one case (false-positive result of <i>KEL*01</i>) were correct taking neonate serology as a reference. It was confirmed that all negative results of NIPD contained fetal DNA except for four cases where there was no difference between the parents' polymorphisms. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> A fetal genotype compatible with the mother was determined in 25% of all pregnancies tested at the IHTM for the fetal blood group. These cases were not at risk of disease, so it was possible to avoid invasive procedures