[Post-transfusional hepatitis in the city of Campinas, SP, Brazil. II. Presence of anti-HBc and anti-HCV antibodies in blood donor candidates and occurrence of post-transfusional hepatitis C in recipients of blood or derivates].
We have analysed anti-HBc and anti-HCV antibodies in serum samples from 799 donors which had their blood or derivates transfused to 111 recipients. Anti-HBc and anti-HCV were reactive in respectively 9 and 2.1% of the donors tested. We have observed that among the 111 recipients, 44 had received at least one positive anti-HBc unit and 67 had been transfused only with negative anti-HBc, units. The risk of developing hepatitis C virus was 4.5 times higher for the recipients who received at least one positive anti-HBc unit. If the test for anti-HBc had been made for the blood donors in the serological screening, about 56% of the HCV cases in the recipients could have been avoided. The population of recipients who received at least one reacting unit of anti-HCV, presented a risk 29 times higher of developing this hepatitis, as compared to the transfused recipients with all anti-HCV negative units. Testing blood from donors for anti-HCV would avoid 79% of the post-transfusional HCV cases. Brazilian candidates to blood donors seem to be carriers either simultaneously or sequentially to hepatitis virus B and C, since 44.4% of the positive anti-HCV were also positive for anti-HBc. Testing for anti-HBc and anti-HCV in blood screening must be indicated in order to prevent post-transfusional hepatitis transmission in our community.
Gonçales Júnior
F L
FL
Disciplina de Doenças Transmissíveis da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, UNICAMP, Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil.
Pedro
R de J
Rde J
da Silva
L J
LJ
Boccato
R S
RS
Gonçales
N S
NS
D001782:Blood Donors; D001938:Brazil; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies