title: [Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in German blood donors--a pilot study].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Immunhämatologie, Universität Frankfurt.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seidl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kühnl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stangel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flik
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sibrowski
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bornhövd
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kalmar
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flacke
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies
vernacular_title: Hepatitis-C-Virus-(HCV)-Antikörper bei deutschen Blutspendern--eine Pilotstudie.