title: Hepatitis C virus antibodies in acute icteric and chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus antibodies were measured in 213 patients who had acute (n = 122) and chronic (n = 91) non-A, non-B hepatitis. In acute infection, anti-hepatitis C virus was detected in 61% of IV drug abusers, in 33% of patients with transfusion-associated hepatitis, and in 22% of patients with sporadic infections (P less than 0.0005, drug abusers vs. sporadic). Mean time to seroconversion was 11.6 weeks (range, 1-80 weeks). Anti-hepatitis C virus was more common in chronic infection (P less than 0.001) and was more often detected in IV drug users (89%; P less than 0.0001) and after transfusion (71%; P less than 0.005) compared with chronic sporadic infection (27%). Antibody persisted for up to 8 years. Six chronic case patients (8.3%) later lost antibody (mean, 24 months; range, 12-48 months).
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: McHutchison
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Houghton
authors.forename: Q L
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Redeker
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D013997:Time Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies