[Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in German blood donors--a pilot study].
A new EIA-test to detect Hepatitis C antibody (ORTHO Diagnostic Systems) has been evaluated in four blood transfusion services in FRG (Hamburg, Hannover, Springe, Frankfurt). Among 3,123 specimens, 18 (0.58%) reacted initially positive, 13 (0.42%) remained positive after repeat testing. A detailed analysis revealed remarkable differences: blood donors from the northern part of Germany were less frequently positive than donors from the southern region (0.24% vs. 0.79%), repeat donors had a higher HCV-antibody incidence than first-time donors (0.48% vs. 0.29%). Similar differences were observed between remunerated and non-remunerated donors (0.24% vs. 0.53%), as well as between donors from rural and urban areas (0.34% vs. 0.46%). In contrast to other investigators, only a weak correlation between elevated ALT-levels (greater than 50 IU/ml) and anti-HCV seropositivity rate has been found.
Seidl
S
S
Institut für Immunhämatologie, Universität Frankfurt.
Kühnl
P
P
Beyer
J
J
Stangel
W
W
Flik
J
J
Sibrowski
W
W
Roos
D
D
Bornhövd
K
K
Kalmar
G
G
Flacke
H
H
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies
Hepatitis-C-Virus-(HCV)-Antikörper bei deutschen Blutspendern--eine Pilotstudie.