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Risk factors in hepatitis C virus‐infected blood donors
Author(s) -
Poel C.,
Cuypers H.,
Reesink H.,
Choo Q.L.,
Kuo G.,
Han J.,
Quan S.,
Polito A.,
Verstraten J.,
Wouw J.,
Schaasberg W.,
Houghton M.,
Lelie P.N.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1991.31892023508.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatitis c virus , virology , risk factor , viral disease , polymerase chain reaction , immunology , hepatitis c , virus , blood transfusion , gastroenterology , biology , gene , biochemistry
Risk factors of parenteral and nonparenteral exposure to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were studied in 125 blood donors in The Netherlands who were positive for anti‐HCV on enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Risk factors were related to confirmatory test results of four‐antigen recombinant immunoblot assay (4‐RIBA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the HCV 5′ untranslated region. Twelve (10%) of the 125 anti‐HCV C100 ELISA‐positive blood donors were 4‐RIBA positive. Eleven (92%) of 12 4‐RIBA‐positive blood donors were PCR positive, and all 113 remaining 4‐RIBA‐negative or ‐indeterminate donors were PCR negative. Eleven (92%) of 12 4‐RIBA‐positive blood donors had a risk factor of parenteral exposure, as compared to 17 (15%) of 113 4‐RIBA‐negative or ‐indeterminate donors. The prevalence of confirmed HCV infection among Amsterdam blood donors is calculated at 0.04 percent; parenteral exposure appears to be the major risk factor for HCV infection.