[Eighty three cases of post transfusion HCV infection: a 10-year follow up]

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Transfusion Medicine

Background:

• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection poses a significant risk following blood transfusions.
• Understanding the clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes of transfusion-transmitted HCV is crucial for patient management and public health.
• This study investigates a cohort exposed to a single blood donor to elucidate the natural history of post-transfusion HCV.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the clinical features of Hepatitis C Virus infection acquired through blood transfusion.
• To investigate the natural history and chronicity rates of post-transfusion HCV infection.
• To identify factors influencing the development and progression of transfusion-associated HCV.

Main Methods:

• A combined cross-sectional and retrospective study design was employed.
• 83 subjects who received blood from a single donor between January 1998 and July 2002 were analyzed.
• HCV antibody, HCV RNA, liver function tests, abdominal ultrasound, and FibroScan were utilized for assessment.

Main Results:

• All subjects tested positive for HCV antibodies, with 56 out of 83 also testing positive for HCV RNA.
• The HCV genotype identified was predominantly type 1b.
• Clinical manifestations included mild asthenia, anorexia, abdominal distention, elevated ALT levels, chronic hepatitis, and one case of decompensated liver cirrhosis.

Conclusions:

• HCV infection following blood transfusion often presents with occult and chronic clinical manifestations.
• The chronicity rate of Hepatitis C is associated with gender and the age of infection acquisition.
• These findings highlight the importance of vigilant screening and understanding the long-term implications of transfusion-transmitted HCV.