title: Anti-HCV seroconversion in multitransfused and immunocompromised patients. A long-term longitudinal study.
abstract: In a series of 6 multitransfused, immunocompromised patients, the diagnosis of posttransfusion hepatitis C was based upon the analysis of long-term follow-up serum samples. The HCV RNA was detected by a nested PCR assay using primers located in the 5' noncoding region (5'NCR), and anti-HCV antibodies were assayed with third-generation tests. The interval between the first rise in alanine aminotransferase and seroconversion varied from less than 5 months to more than 38 months. Five out of 6 patients seroconverted after 14 months or later. In most cases, the anti-NS3 and anti-NS4 antibodies appeared first. In such patients, the etiology of chronic liver disease may thus be overlooked for 1 or more years, a definitive diagnosis requiring the detection of HCV RNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, St. Luc University Clinics, UCL, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cornu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brusselmans
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geubel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrant
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cornu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D015994:Incidence; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014766:Viremia / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase