Cold activation of complement as a marker of hepatitis C viremia in sera from blood donors.
Sera from 49,088 blood donors were tested for markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and decreased hemolytic activity after they had been stored at 4 degrees C for 24 h, a phenomenon known as the cold activation of complement. Antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) was detected in 315 (0.64%) units, of which 181 (57%) were positive for HCV RNA. The cold activation of complement was detected in 170 (0.35%) units, and HCV RNA was detected in 140 (82%) of them. Thus, the cold activation of complement was observed in 140 (77%) of 181 blood units with HCV RNA. The close association of HCV viremia with the cold activation of complement would be useful as a surrogate test in preventing post-transfusion HCV infection in developing areas where anti-HCV assays are not easily performed.
Itoh
K
K
Japanese Red Cross Blood Center, Yamaguchi-Ken, Tokyo, Japan.
Tanaka
H
H
Shiga
J I
JI
Hirakawa
K
K
Tanaka
T
T
Akahane
Y
Y
Tsuda
F
F
Okamoto
H
H
Miyakawa
Y
Y
Mayumi
M
M
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D014766:Viremia / Q000097:blood*