title: [Hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV) in blood donors at the transfusion department in Brno].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The hepatitis C virus is considered the main cause of post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis and the persistence of anti-HCV antibody is considered a sign of chronic disease. The objective was to assess the incidence of anti-HCV positivity in blood donors of the blood transfusion department in Brno where sera of donors of a major part of the South Moravian region are examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors examined between April 1, 1992 and Jan. 31, 1993 27,559 sera of blood donors for anti-HCV, using a MONOLISA anti-HCV set of Diagnostics Pasteur Co. The sera were divided into donors who gave blood for the first time and steady donors. Sera collected during the first three months (April 1, 1992 to June 30, 1992) were excluded as anti-HCV was not assessed before that date. In each group the percentage of sera was assessed where repeatedly reactivity to anti-HCV was recorded. In the whole group of examined sera repeated reactivity to anti-HCV was found in 0.243%. In those who were blood donors for the first time it was 0.408%, in repeated donors 0.210%. In first donors anti-HCV positivity was present in 0.334% during the first three months and 0.443% during the remaining 7 months. A very similar incidence was found also in steady donors--0.349% during the first three months, as before April 1, 1992 these donors were not yet excluded from blood donorship on account of anti-HCV positivity. In steady donors during the last 7 months a marked drop of anti-HCV positivity to 0.150% was found due to exclusion of anti-HCV positive subjects during the previous three months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In blood donors from the South Moravian region positivity of anti-HCV antibodies was recorded 0.35% to 0.44%.
authors.affiliation: Transfuzní oddĕlení FNsP, Brno-Bohunice Klinika infekcních chorob LF MU, Brno.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klofera
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chalupa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jezek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D018153:Czech Republic; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies