BACKGROUND. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is now known to be the chief cause of transfusion-associated non-A, non-B hepatitis, but the prevalence of HCV among blood donors and the frequency of transmission by blood transfusion are unknown. METHODS. To assess the sensitivity and specificity of a test for antibody to HCV, we tested serum samples from participants in a large study of transfusion-associated hepatitis. Samples were obtained prospectively from consecutive adults undergoing open-heart surgery in Spain, but were tested retrospectively, after the antibody enzyme immunoassay for anti-HCV became available. RESULTS. Of 280 transfusion recipients given a total of 1109 units of blood, 27 (9.6 percent) had transfusion-associated non-A, non-B hepatitis (mean follow-up, 52 weeks) and 24 of the 27 seroconverted to anti-HCV-positive, whereas only 2 (0.8 percent) of the remaining transfusion recipients seroconverted. Among the 1044 donor specimens available for testing, 16 (1.5 percent) had anti-HCV antibody. Only 1 additional seropositive donor was found when 44 implicated donors who had been seronegative were retested 9 to 12 months later. Of the 16 recipients of anti-HCV-positive blood, 14 (88 percent) had transfusion-associated hepatitis and seroconverted to anti-HCV-positive. The remaining two recipients had neither hepatitis nor anti-HCV antibody. Among 25 patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis for whom all transfused blood was tested, 14 had received blood positive for anti-HCV. CONCLUSIONS. About 90 percent of blood donors with antibody to HCV have infectious virus in their blood. The screening of blood donors for anti-HCV antibody should prevent about half the cases of transfusion-associated hepatitis, but the donors with infectious virus who are anti-HCV-negative may remain seronegative for prolonged periods.
Source Information
Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
This article has been cited by other articles:
Perez, C. M, Suarez, E., Torres, E. A, Roman, K., Colon, V.
(2005). Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus and associated risk behaviours: a population-based study in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Int J Epidemiol
34: 593-599
[Abstract][Full Text]
Strickland, D. K., Riely, C. A., Patrick, C. C., Jones-Wallace, D., Boyett, J. M., Waters, B., Fleckenstein, J. F., Dean, P. J., Davila, R., Caver, T. E., Hudson, M. M.
(2000). Hepatitis C infection among survivors of childhood cancer. Blood
95: 3065-3070
[Abstract][Full Text]
Cesaro, S., Petris, M. G., Rossetti, F., Cusinato, R., Pipan, C., Guido, M., Masiero, L., Botta, G. A., Meloni, G. A., Zanesco, L.
(1997). Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection After Treatment for Pediatric Malignancy. Blood
90: 1315-1320
[Abstract][Full Text]
Koike, K., Moriya, K., Ishibashi, K., Yotsuyanagi, H., Shintani, Y., Fujie, H., Kurokawa, K., Matsuura, Y., Miyamura, T.
(1997). Sialadenitis histologically resembling Sjogren syndrome in mice transgenic for hepatitis C virus envelope genes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
94: 233-236
[Abstract][Full Text]
Esteban, J. I., Gomez, J., Martell, M., Cabot, B., Quer, J., Camps, J., Gonzalez, A., Otero, T., Moya, A., Esteban, R., Guardia, J.
(1996). Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus by a Cardiac Surgeon. NEJM
334: 555-561
[Abstract][Full Text]
Sloand, E. M., Pitt, E., Klein, H. G.
(1995). Safety of the Blood Supply. JAMA
274: 1368-1373
[Abstract]
Ryan, K E, MacLennan, S, Barbara, J A J, Hewitt, P E
(1994). Follow up of blood donors positive for antibodies to hepatitis C virus. BMJ
308: 696-697
[Full Text]
Osmond, D. H., Padian, N. S., Sheppard, H. W., Glass, S., Shiboski, S. C., Reingold, A.
(1993). Risk Factors for Hepatitis C Virus Seropositivity in Heterosexual Couples. JAMA
269: 361-365
[Abstract]
Weinstock, H. S., Bolan, G., Reingold, A. L., Polish, L. B.
(1993). Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Patients Attending a Clinic for Sexually Transmitted Diseases. JAMA
269: 392-394
[Abstract]
Farci, P, Alter, H., Govindarajan, S, Wong, D., Engle, R, Lesniewski, R., Mushahwar, I., Desai, S., Miller, R., Ogata, N, et, al.
(1992). Lack of protective immunity against reinfection with hepatitis C virus. Science
258: 135-140
[Abstract]
Roth, D., Fernandez, J. A., Babischkin, S., De Mattos, A., Buck, B.E., Quan, S., Olson, L., Burke, G. W., Nery, J. R., Esquenazi, V., Schiff, E. R., Miller, J.
(1992). Detection of Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Cadaver Organ Donors: Evidence for Low Transmission of Disease. ANN INTERN MED
117: 470-475
[Abstract]
Hill, N. O.
(1992). Hepatitis C after Needlestick Injuries. ANN INTERN MED
116: 345-346
[Abstract]
Chambers, L. A., Popovsky, M. A.
(1991). Decrease in Reported Posttransfusion Hepatitis: Contributions of Donor Screening for Alanine Aminotransferase and Antibodies to Hepatitis B Core Antigen and Changes in the General Population. Arch Intern Med
151: 2445-2448
[Abstract]
Barrera, J. M., Bruguera, M., Ercilla, M. G., Sanchez-Tapias, J. M., Gil, M. P., Gil, C., Costa, J., Gelabert, A., Rodes, J., Castillo, R.
(1991). Incidence of Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis after Screening Blood Donors for Antibodies to Hepatitis C Virus and Surrogate Markers. ANN INTERN MED
115: 596-600
[Abstract]
Esteban, J. I., Lopez-Talavera, J. C., Genesca, J., Madoz, P., Viladomiu, L., Muniz, E., Martin-Vega, C., Rosell, M., Allende, H., Vidal, X., Gonzalez, A., Hernandez, J. M., Esteban, R., Guardia, J.
(1991). High Rate of Infectivity and Liver Disease in Blood Donors with Antibodies to Hepatitis C Virus. ANN INTERN MED
115: 443-449
[Abstract]
(1990). LIMITATIONS OF HCV ANTIBODY TESTING IN PREVENTING TRANSFUSION-ASSOCIATED HEPATITIS. JWatch General
1990: 1-1
[Full Text]
Previous
