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[Hepatitis C virus infection in different risk groups and among blood donors]
J L Martínez1, J del Hierro, A Camarero
1Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital de Navarra.
Insights
This study investigated viral hepatitis markers in various populations, finding a 0.8% anti-HCV prevalence in blood donors. Higher anti-HCV rates were observed in HBV-positive patients and institutionalized individuals, highlighting the need for screening to prevent post-transfusion hepatitis.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Viral hepatitis remains a significant global health concern.
- Accurate serological markers are crucial for diagnosis and prevention.
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence varies across different populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of serological markers for viral hepatitis A, B, delta, and C.
- To assess the utility of anti-HCV detection in blood donors and specific patient groups.
- To explore potential correlations between anti-HCV and other hepatitis markers or clinical findings.
Main Methods:
- Serological testing for hepatitis A, B, delta, and C markers.
- Analysis of data from 7,713 blood donors, 265 hepatitis patients, 41 institutionalized individuals, 41 healthcare workers, and 35 hemodialysis patients.
- Correlation analysis with HBV/H-delta V markers and biopsy findings where applicable.
Main Results:
- Anti-HCV prevalence was 0.8% in blood donors.
- Higher anti-HCV prevalence was found in HBV-positive patients (47.5%) and institutionalized groups (12.5% and 36%).
- No significant correlation was established between anti-HCV and HBV/H-delta V markers or biopsy results.
Conclusions:
- Anti-HCV detection is vital for excluding positive blood donors, thereby reducing post-transfusion hepatitis risk.
- Screening for anti-HCV aids in diagnosing non-A, non-B hepatitis cases.
- Further research may be needed to understand the specific epidemiology of HCV in institutionalized populations.
Abstract:
We have studied serological markers of viral hepatitis type A, B, delta and C in 7,713 blood-donors, 265 patients with a clinical diagnosis of hepatitis, 41 inmates of a mental and physical retardation institution and 41 health care workers at the same institution and 35 chronic hemodialysis patients. The results showed a 0.8% anti-HCV prevalence in blood-donors, but a higher percentage (47.5%) among HBV positive patients and in two different groups of the inmates at the mental institution (12.5% and 36%). We can not establish a relationship with the presence of anti-HCV and serological markers for HBV or H-delta V, neither with any serological markers pattern of B hepatitis nor with the anti-HCV levels and pathological findings in the biopsy of the cases in which this procedure was performed. The detection of anti-HCV has two direct applications: to exclude positive blood-donors in order to reduce the risk of post-transfusion hepatitis and to better establish a precise diagnosis in patients otherwise classified of having nonA-nonB hepatitis.