title: Long-term persistence of hepatitis C virus antibodies in a single source outbreak.
abstract: The occurrence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) was investigated in 81 patients who developed hepatitis non-A, non-B (HNANB) after parenteral administration of contaminated immunoglobulin to prevent Rh sensitization. Sera from 74 of the 81 patients (89.9%) were anti-HCV positive at either 6-12 months or 9-10 years after administration of immunoglobulin. Sera were not available from any patients at either of the times: however, 52 of 56 sera (92.9%) were anti-HCV positive 6-12 months after use of immunoglobulin, and anti-HCV was present in 45 of 65 sera (69.2%) 9-10 years after immunoglobulin treatment. Of the latter, only two of 13 (15.4%) sera from patients who recovered from hepatitis were anti-HCV positive, whereas 43 of 52 patients (82.7%) with chronic disease were anti-HCV positive. The ELISA using a recombinant antigen was found a good detector as marker for a HCV infection because 90% of patients infected by a common source became anti-HCV positive. However, 10 years after infection most patients who did not develop chronic disease no longer had detectable antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Central Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology, and Epidemiologie, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dittmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roggendorf
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dürkop
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiese
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorbeer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deinhardt
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001787:Blood Group Incompatibility; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004340:Drug Contamination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System / Q000276:immunology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System