Risk factors in hepatitis C virus-infected blood donors

Risk factors of parenteral and nonparenteral exposure to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were studied in 125 blood donors in The Netherlands who were positive for anti-HCV on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Risk factors were related to confirmatory test results of four-antigen recombinant immunoblot assay (4-RIBA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the HCV 5' untranslated region. Twelve (10%) of the 125 anti-HCV C100 ELISA-positive blood donors were 4-RIBA positive. Eleven (92%) of 12 4-RIBA-positive blood donors were PCR positive, and all 113 remaining 4-RIBA-negative or -indeterminate donors were PCR negative. Eleven (92%) of 12 4-RIBA-positive blood donors had a risk factor of parenteral exposure, as compared to 17 (15%) of 113 4-RIBA-negative or -indeterminate donors. The prevalence of confirmed HCV infection among Amsterdam blood donors is calculated at 0.04 percent; parenteral exposure appears to be the major risk factor for HCV infection.