Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus. A preliminary study in volunteer blood donors.
In a survey carried out from 1985 through 1986, volunteer blood donors to The Greater New York Blood Program were tested for two surrogate markers for non-A, non-B hepatitis--elevation of alanine aminotransferase level and presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. Stored serum samples from selected donors were also recently tested for antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). Anti-HCV was detected in 0.9% to 1.4% of donors and was higher in black and Hispanic donors than in white donors. Anti-HCV prevalence increased with increasing age through the fourth decade of life, but decreased thereafter, possibly reflecting the disappearance of detectable antibody with time. Anti-HCV correlated with both alanine aminotransferase level and the presence or absence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. These associations suggest that donor screening for elevation of alanine aminotransferase level and presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen was, as expected, at least partially effective in preventing transfusion-associated non-A, non-B hepatitis. The detection of anti-HCV in donors who have neither an elevation of alanine aminotransferase level nor presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen suggests that donor screening for anti-HCV will further reduce the risk of transfusion-associated hepatitis.
Stevens
C E
CE
Wolf Szmuness Laboratory of Epidemiology, New York Blood Center, NY 10021.
Taylor
P E
PE
Pindyck
J
J
Choo
Q L
QL
Bradley
D W
DW
Kuo
G
G
Houghton
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase