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Clinical significance of hepatitis C antibodies in blood donors

E Kolho1, M Färkkilä, J Mäkinen

  • 1Finnish Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Helsinki.

Journal of Medical Virology
|June 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis C antibody positive blood donors showed significant liver damage, with 55% having chronic persistent hepatitis and 45% active hepatitis. Indeterminate results rarely indicated liver issues.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Virology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening in blood donors is crucial for public health.
  • Understanding the clinical significance of anti-HCV in healthy populations requires further investigation.
  • First-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and second-generation recombinant immunoblot assays (RIBA-4) are key diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the clinical significance of hepatitis C antibodies (anti-HCV) in blood donors.
  • To determine the prevalence of liver damage in anti-HCV positive and indeterminate individuals.
  • To correlate serological findings with liver function tests and biopsy results.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of liver function tests (ALT) and liver biopsies in blood donors screened for anti-HCV.
  • Monitoring of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in RIBA-4 positive and indeterminate donors.
  • Measurement of serum N-terminal type III procollagen (PIIINP) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for hepatitis C confirmation.

Main Results:

  • Among 307,606 donors, 195 were anti-HCV positive or indeterminate.
  • 25 (37.3%) of RIBA-4 positive donors had elevated ALT levels, compared to 1.6% of RIBA-4 indeterminate donors (P < 0.0005).
  • Of 20 RIBA-4 positive donors with elevated ALT who underwent biopsy, 55% had chronic persistent hepatitis and 45% had chronic active hepatitis (mild to severe).

Conclusions:

  • Anti-HCV positivity in blood donors is strongly associated with significant liver damage.
  • Liver biopsies confirm a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis among seropositive individuals.
  • Indeterminate anti-HCV results in donors rarely indicate active liver disease.

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