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Is the Apparent Outbreak of Hepatitis A in Belgian Hemophiliacs due to a Loss of Previous Passive Immunity?
Author(s) -
Peerlinck K.,
Vermylen J.,
Goubau P.,
Coppens G.,
Desmyter J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1111/j.1423-0410.1994.tb00967.x
Subject(s) - cryoprecipitate , medicine , hepatitis a , outbreak , hepatitis , immunology , seroprevalence , virology , transmission (telecommunications) , antibody , viral hepatitis , hepatitis b , hepatitis a vaccine , serology , platelet , electrical engineering , engineering
Several reports describing outbreaks of hepatitis A in hemophilia A patients transfused with solvent/detergent‐treated factor VIII concentrates have raised concern about possible transmission of hepatitis A by these concentrates. We recently witnessed such an outbreak of hepatitis A in 6 hemophilia A patients; review of the clinical data did not disclose any increased risk factor for community‐acquired hepatitis A. A case‐control study comparing the prevalence of anti‐hepatitis A IgG antibodies in hemophiliacs and age‐matched controls showed a lower seroprevalence in hemophiliacs. This might be due to passive protection acquired through transfusion of the previously used immunoglobulin‐containing cryoprecipitate. The outbreak of hepatitis A could be explained as a catch‐up phenomenon linked to the loss of passive protection with the use of purer factor VIII concentrates.