Das Palashpriya, Supekar Ruchi, Chatterjee Ritika, Roy Subrata, Ghosh Anisa, Biswas Subhajit
Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata PIN-700032, West Bengal, India.
Infectious Diseases & Immunology Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India.
World J Hepatol. 2020 Oct 27;12(10):775-791. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v12.i10.775.
The recent rise in the incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in a densely populated city of eastern India ("mixing vessel" of people of varied socio-economic and immune status) prompted this study. Applying saliva on fingers for enumerating bank notes is a common practice in the Indian subcontinent. Paper notes may be a potential source of "horizontal" transmission of this virus, especially if there are cuts/bruises on the oral mucous membrane or skin.
To investigate whether paper currencies could be a plausible mode of horizontal transmission of HBV infection.
Polymerase chain reactions (PCR) followed by nucleotide sequencing was done for the detection of HBV. Hepatitis B virus surface antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(HBsAg ELISA) was performed on all HBV deoxyribonucleic acid-positive samples to check the detectability of the virus. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was carried out for visual confirmation of HBV particles in ultracentrifuged/immunoprecipitated samples from currency paper washings.
HBV-specific PCRs on pellets obtained after ultracentrifugation/ immunoprecipitation of the currency paper washings detected potentially intact/viable HBV (genotype D2) in 7.14% of samples ( = 70). AFM gave the visual confirmation of HBV particles in ultracentrifuged/immunoprecipitated samples from currency paper washings. However, HBV isolates from the currency notes could not be detected by HBsAg ELISA.
It is a common practice in the Indian subcontinent to count paper currencies by applying saliva on fingertips. Paper notes may be a potential source of "horizontal" transmission of this virus, especially if there are cuts/bruises on the oral mucous membrane or skin, but it was practically not possible to demonstrate experimentally such transmission. Detection of potentially intact/viable and "occult" HBV from currency poses potential risk of silent transmission of this virus among the general population.
印度东部一个人口密集城市（社会经济和免疫状况各异人群的“混合容器”）中乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）感染发病率近期上升，促使开展本研究。在印度次大陆，用唾液涂抹手指来点钞票是一种常见做法。纸币可能是该病毒“水平”传播的潜在来源，尤其是当口腔黏膜或皮肤上有伤口/擦伤时。
调查纸币是否可能是HBV感染水平传播的一种合理方式。
采用聚合酶链反应（PCR）并进行核苷酸测序以检测HBV。对所有HBV脱氧核糖核酸阳性样本进行乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原酶联免疫吸附测定（HBsAg ELISA），以检查病毒的可检测性。对来自纸币洗涤液的超速离心/免疫沉淀样本进行原子力显微镜（AFM）检查，以直观确认HBV颗粒。
对纸币洗涤液超速离心/免疫沉淀后获得的沉淀物进行HBV特异性PCR检测，在7.14%的样本（n = 70）中检测到潜在完整/有活力的HBV（D2基因型）。AFM对来自纸币洗涤液的超速离心/免疫沉淀样本中的HBV颗粒进行了直观确认。然而，通过HBsAg ELISA无法检测到来自纸币的HBV分离株。
在印度次大陆，用唾液涂抹指尖来点算纸币是一种常见做法。纸币可能是该病毒“水平”传播的潜在来源，尤其是当口腔黏膜或皮肤上有伤口/擦伤时，但实际上无法通过实验证明这种传播。从纸币中检测到潜在完整/有活力的“隐匿性”HBV，提示该病毒在普通人群中有潜在的隐匿传播风险。
