[Serologic and genomic markers of the hepatitis C virus in transfusion recipients with non-A, non-B hepatitis].
BACKGROUND
The exclusion of donors with antibodies against the c-100 protein of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) has permitted a considerable reduction in post transfusional (PTH) non A non B hepatitis in those receiving transfusions. However, the risk has not been completely eliminated and there is evidence that some HCV carriers do not present detectable antibodies against protein c-100. In these cases a new diagnostic methodology, named polymerase chain reaction (PCR), permits the detection of the viral genome.


METHODS
One hundred fifty eight prospective transfusion recipients were studied. Nineteen (12%) developed non A non B PTH criteria. The presence of anti c-100 and the viral genome were investigated by PCR in 17 of the patients.


RESULTS
Nine of the 17 receptors (53%) with non A non B PTH presented antibodies against the HCV. In all patients and in two seronegative patients genomic sequences of HCV were detected by PCR.


CONCLUSIONS
By a combination of genomic (PCR) and serological technique, 11 of the 17 transfusion recipients (64%) with non A non B PTH demonstrated evidence of HCV infection. In two cases the infection was seronegative. Although the HCV appeared to be the principal agent of the non A non B PTH in this study it could not be recognized in a third of the recipients who developed non A non B PTH.
Soriano
V
V
Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital de Badalona, Barcelona.
Pauplana
M
M
Nedjar
S
S
Tor
J
J
Hewlett
I
I
Ribera
A
A
Pujol
M
M
Soria
C
C
Biswas
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies
Marcadores serológicos y genómicos del virus de la hepatitis C en receptores de transfusiones con hepatitis no A no B.