Frequency and chronology of occurrence of anti-HCV in non-A non-B post-transfusional hepatitis

Studying the frequency and timing of the appearance of the virus C antibody.

We studied serum samples of 57 patients whom developed post-transfusional non-A non-B hepatitis. 34 males, and mean age was 47.56 +/- 13.45 years. Initially anti-HVC was detected by ELISA, and the test was repeated on the last negative sample and the first two positive ones of each patient. RIBA-I and 2nd generation ELISA were performed on these same samples. HCV polymerase chain reaction was performed in 5 seronegative patients by the other techniques.

Fifty patients (87.5%) seroconverted to anti-HCV; 26 (52%) within 30 days after the onset of the disease (11 during incubation period); and, 24 (48%) seroconverted after the first month of the disease. Anti-HCV negative patients had lower transaminase levels. Twenty six (52%) of the 50 patients showing seroconversion developed a chronic hepatitis, while this occurred in two (28.5%) of the seven seronegative patients (this difference was not statistically significant). Determination of HCV-RNA by polymerase chain reaction, performed (eight years after the onset of the disease) in 4 of the five seronegative patients by ELISA and RIBA techniques, was negative. Nowadays one of them is anti-HCV and HCV-PCR positive and sustain normal transaminases values.

87.5% of post-transfusional non-A non-B hepatitis seroconverted during the follow-up. 26 (52%) showed this within 30 days after the onset of their disease; of this group, 11 became seropositive before their ALT values rose. Nowadays in all patients (except one) initially seronegative, in which polymerase chain reaction was performed, negative serology results persist. There were no clinical and evolution differences between the groups.