title: [Natural clearance of hepatitis C virus in 96 patients with infection acquired by blood transfusion from a single donor in Guizhou].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical features and rate of natural viral clearance in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection acquired by blood transfusion from a single donor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-six patients who acquired HCV infection between January 1998 and December 2002, upon receipt of donated blood from a single infected individual in Guizhou,were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. Patients were clinically assessed to determine levels of anti-HCV antibodies, HCV RNA and biochemical indicators of liver function,as well as features of liver structure (by abdominal B ultrasonography and elastography). HCV genetic testing was used to determine the virus genotype. Measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Count data were analyzed by the x² test,with P less than 0.05 indicating statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 96 patients tested positive for antiHCV antibodies. The majority of patients (70%; 34:33 male:female) had HCV RNA more than or equal to 1.0 * 103 copies/ml. All patients carried the same HCV genotype as the single blood donor:genotype lb. The overall rate of natural HCV clearance was 30.2%. but males had a significantly lower rate (19.0% (8/42) vs. females:38.9% (21/54);x²=4.41,P=0.023) as did older patients (more than 40 years-old:16.1% (5/31) vs .less than or equal to 40 years-old:36.9% (24/65);x²=4.30,P=0.028). The overall rate of chronic HCV infection (CHC) was 69.8%,but the rate was significantly lower in younger patients (less than or equal to 40 years-old:63.1% (41/65) vs. more than 40 years-old:83.9% (26/31);x²=6.67,P=0.028). Among the 67 patients with CHC,12 had symptoms of mild weakness,anorexia and abdominal distention,11 had elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (116.25 +/- 24.65 U/L) and stage 3 or 4 fibrosis (liver elasticity values more than or equal to 5.1 kPa),and three had mildly abnormal serum bilirubin (32.56 ± 5.28 mumol/L). Fifteen patients showed signs of chronic hepatitis and one patient showed signs of cirrhosis by abdominal B ultrasonography. None of the patients showed signs of hepatocellular carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The course of blood transfusion acquired HCV infection is largely unknown and natural viral clearance rate may be associated with sex-and age-related factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, the Qiannan People's Hospital in Guizhou Province, Guizhou Qiannan 558000, China.
authors.forename: Sandu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mingliang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Mao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: Qingkun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral