Antibody to hepatitis C virus in blood donors found positive for other agents. I. Treponemal infection.
Stored serum samples from 169 blood donors found positive for TPHA were tested for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) and to hepatitis B core (anti-HBc), as evidence of previous HBV infection, a condition known to be sexually transmissible. Only three donors were positive with a 'first generation' anti-HCV and all three failed to confirm with a recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). In contrast, 33 (19.5%) of the TPHA-positive donors were positive for anti-HBc. The results suggest that sexual transmission is not a major factor in the spread of HCV.
Aloysius
S
S
North London Blood Transfusion Centre, London, U.K.
Howell
D R
DR
Barbara
J A
JA
D001782:Blood Donors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis; D014210:Treponema pallidum; D014211:Treponemal Infections / Q000150:complications*
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies