Molecular Detection of Occult Hepatitis B Virus DNA in Haemodialysis Patients in El Gazeera State, Sudan

Abstract

This is a qualitative, descriptive, cross-sectional, hospital- based study It was conducted among hemodialysis patients in EL Gazera State, (Medani Teaching Hospital), during the period from March to June 2013. A total of ninety one subjects (n=91) were enrolled in this study, 49 of them were males (54%) and 42 were females (46%). Age rang was from 15 to 80 years (mean: 43.08 years). The mean duration of hemodialysis was 2.98 years (range: 1-11 years) and sixty eight of patients (75%) had a history of blood transfusion but none of them had organ transplantation. From the study participants, serum samples were tested for HBsAg and HBcAb by a capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and for Hepatitis B virus DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Data were analyzed by SPSS version 11.5 computer software.The results obtained showed, that 15 out of 91 haemodialysis patients were HBsAg positive (16.5%),and 76 were HBsAg negative (83.5%). However, when the same technique was used for detecting HBcAb, 27 out of 91 hemodialysis patients were total HBcAb positive (29.7%), and 64 were HBcAb negative (70.3%). When 26 HBsAg– negative – HbcAb –positive samples were examined by conventional PCR, 3 samples were found HBV-DNA- positive (11.5%).This study concluded that, there was a strong evidence to support the presence of occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) in hemodialysis patients. Therefore, we strongly believe that, in addition to sero- ‫‪detection of HBV markers, conventional PCR is necennary‬‬ ‫‪to uncover HBV occult subjects among hemodialysis‬‬ ‫.‪patients‬‬