title: [Hepatitis C virus antibodies in 34130 blood donors in Tunisian Sahel].
abstract: Since January 6th 1994 to december 31 1997. We researched hepatitis C Virus antibodies by second and third generation ELISA in 34,130 bloods donors living in "Sahel Tunisien". 193 were positive (0.56%). Only 171 of them were secondary tested by immunoblot assay (anticore, anti NS5, anti NS3, anti NS4). Which was positive in 53 cases (30.9%); in determined (presence of only one antibody) in 78 cases (45.6%) and negative, in 40 cases (23.3%). There was a significant relation between a ratio over than 2.5 in ELISA and immunoblot positivity. Immune response to different hepatitis virus antigens were heterogeneous with predominant in determined profile. (78/171 cases). Most of donors of the last profile had either anti NS5 (32/78) or anti NS3 (33/78) and we excluded them even through usually negative in P.C.R and associated with a very low risk of contamination.
authors.affiliation: Centre Régional de Transfusion sanguine Sousse.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hatira
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yacoub-Jemni
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Houissa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaabi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaeir
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kortas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghachem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000032:analysis; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000032:analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014416:Tunisia; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D020365:RNA Helicases; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C084422:NS3 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D043583:Nucleoside-Triphosphatase; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D000085242:Viral Proteases; C093542:NS4 protein, hepatitis C virus; C087036:NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus