[A serological study on hepatitis C infection in plasma donors]

An epidemic of non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH) occurred in plasmapheresis donors in Guan county, Hebei province in 1985. NANBH was diagnosed by epidemiological studies and serological exclusion of HAV, HBV, and other virus infections. Recently, 163 sera of 108 patients with NANBH and 65 sera of 49 cases with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels collected during the epidemic were tested at the Disease Control Center, U. S. A. by anti- HCV EIA (Chiron C 100). The positive rates for anti-HCV in these two groups were 89.8% (97/108) and 93.9% (46/49), respectively, with an average rate of 90.8% The figures increased with duration of illness and persistence of ALT elevation, i.e 17.6% and 55.6% within 1 month, 88.9% and 87.5% at 6 months, 100% and 100% after 2 years, respectively. Five patients with NANBH and one case with elevated ALT levels were followed up for 3 to 4 years. It was found that anti-HCV remained positive even after the patients had recovered and their ALT levels returned to normal.