Improving blood safety – special focus on occult hepatitis B infection
This talk will focus on occult hepatitis B infection which largely affects individuals born in countries where hepatitis B virus infection is common. Although it is still debated whether occult hepatitis B infection is harmful to the host and linked to the development of liver cancer, it is clear that infection can spread via blood transfusion. Transmission of undiagnosed HBV infections in renal dialysis units is also a concern. While more sensitive methods have been developed to identify those with previous exposure to HBV and current active infections, better markers are needed to predict the individuals who are infectious through transfusion or transplant, and those who are most at risk of developing severe infection outcomes.
Date: 22 November 2023, 13:00 (Wednesday, 7th week, Michaelmas 2023)
Venue: John Radcliffe Academic, Headington OX3 9DU
Venue Details: Academic Centre Conference room, Level 3 corridor
Speaker: Dr Heli Harvala (University of Oxford)
Organising department: Radcliffe Department of Medicine
Organiser: Prof Deborah Gill (University of Oxford )
Organiser contact email address: stephanie.jones@ndcls.ox.ac.uk
Host: Prof Deborah Gill (University of Oxford )
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Stephanie Jones