title: Outcome of post-transfusion hepatitis C: disease severity in blood-component recipients and their implicated donors.
abstract: The UK 'Look-back Program' identifies recipients of blood products from hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) positive donors. Of 60 such recipients tested by the Newcastle Transfusion Service, 28(46.7%) were anti-HCV-negative, 25(41.7%) were anti-HCV-positive, and seven (11.6%) had equivocal serology. We studied 29 anti-HCV-positive/indeterminate recipients and eight of their implicated donors, using serial liver function tests (LFTs), liver histology when clinically indicated, HCV RNA and serotyping. Presumed resolved hepatitis C, with persistently normal LFTs and negative HCV RNA, was found in 28%, of whom 63% had indeterminate anti-HCV by RIBA (1 band of 4 detected on third-generation recombinant immunoblot assay). Resolved hepatitis C was significantly more common in women (p < 0.05) and tended to be associated with younger age at transfusion. There was complete concordance in serotype between donor-recipient pairs. There was no correlation in disease severity between recipients and their implicated donors, nor between recipients from the same donor. A history of alcohol consumption above recommended 'safe' limits (median 30 units) was associated with more severe histological disease (p < 0.01). Host factors, including gender and alcohol consumption, may be important in determining the wide variability in outcome of post-transfusion hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical School, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Burt
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Toms
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bassendine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001782:Blood Donors; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral