title: Markers of hepatitis C virus infection in Sardinian blood donors: relationship with alanine aminotransferase levels.
abstract: Serum samples from 1,765 consecutive Sardinian blood donors, negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (anti-HIV), were evaluated for the presence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) by second-generation ELISA. Anti-HCV was detected in 25 (1.45%) of the 1,765 donors examined. Anti-HCV was found in 15 of the 1,690 (0.9%) donors with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and in 10 of the 75 (13%) donors with elevated ALT (P < 0.0001). Of the 15 anti-HCV-positive donors with normal ALT, only five (33%) were confirmed to be positive by second-generation RIBA, six (40%) were indeterminate, while four (27%) were RIBA negative. HCV RNA, as detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a set of primers from the 5'-noncoding region, was found in six of the 15 (40%) donors with normal ALT, including five RIBA positive and one indeterminant. Of the 10 anti-HCV-positive donors with elevated ALT, all were RIBA positive and eight (80%) had detectable HCV RNA. Thus, among ELISA-reactive donors, those with elevated ALT had a significantly higher probability of being positive for second-generation RIBA and HCV RNA compared to those with normal ALT levels (P = 0.028). None of the 65 donors with elevated ALT but negative for anti-HCV by ELISA had detectable serum HCV RNA, as compared to eight of 10 anti-HCV ELISA-positive donors (P < 0.0001). However, although negative for HBsAg, 12 of the 65 (18%) had serum HBV DNA by PCR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mazzoleni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porru
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orgiana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arnone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balestrieri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase