title: Antibody to hepatitis B core antigen as a paradoxical marker for non-A, non-B hepatitis agents in donated blood.
abstract: The relationship between the presence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) in donor blood and the development of hepatitis in recipients of that blood was studied in 6293 blood donors and 481 recipients who were followed for 6 to 9 months after transfusion. Of 193 recipients of at least 1 unit of blood positive for anti-HBc, 23 (11.9%) developed non-A, non-B hepatitis compared with 12 (4.2%) of 288 recipients of only anti-HBc-negative blood (p less than 0.001). Donor anti-HBc status was not significantly associated with the development of hepatitis B in the recipient and was negatively associated with the development of cytomegalovirus hepatitis. The relationship of donor anti-HBc status and the development of non-A, non-B hepatitis in the recipient was independent of transfusion volume and elevated donor transaminase level. Although 88% of anti-HBc-positive blood units were not associated with recipient non-A, non-B hepatitis, calculation of maximal corrected efficacy predicted that exclusion of anti-HBc-positive donors might have prevented 43% of the cases of non-A, non-B hepatitis with a donor loss of 4%. Because of the serious chronic consequences of non-A, non-B hepatitis, surrogate tests for non-A, non-B virus carriers must be seriously considered.
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000276:immunology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D000410:Alanine Transaminase