[Epidemiological and serological study on hepatitis C virus infection in plasmapheresis donors]

An epidemic of hepatitis C virus infection in plasmapheresis donors which occurred in 1985 in Gu-An county, Hebei province, was studied. A total of 3,496 persons in five villages were investigated. The prevalence rates of viral hepatitis and elevated ALT levels alone in plasmapheresis donors were 17.10% and 23.23%, respectively, which were significantly higher than these of whole blood donors and controls. 59 sera collected from plasmapheresis donors with viral hepatitis and elevated ALT levels alone were sent to the Centers for Disease Control, USA, for detection of anti-HCV with Chiron C100 (EIA). The positivity rates of anti-HCV were 97.06% and 100%, respectively, indicating that the epidemic was caused by hepatitis C virus.