Post-transfusion hepatitis in Navarra. Evidence of acute hepatitis C virus infection without elevation of aminotransferases

BACKGROUND
To determine the incidence of postransfusion hepatitis (PTH) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in blood recipients in Navarra and to evaluate the impact of excluding anti-HCV positive donors on the incidence of posttransfusion HCV infection.

METHODS
248 transfusion recipients were included, 150 in a first period before anti-HCV(+) donors exclusion, and 98 in a second period after their exclusion. A serum sample from each patient was collected, bimonthly during the first month and monthly for six months, and another serum sample, twelve months after transfusion. ALT and anti-HCV were tested in each sample with ELISA and RIBA 2nd generation. HCV-RNA was determined with a nested polymerase chain reaction assay.

RESULTS
PTH incidence in 1989 was of 2.9%. This incidence decreased to 1.1% after anti-HCV ELISA 1st generation positive donors exclusion. At present, this incidence, with anti-HCV ELISA 2nd generation positive donors exclusion, is 0.8%. 80% of PTH were caused by HCV. 50% of HCV acute infection, confirmed by positive PCR, had normal ALT.

CONCLUSIONS
In Navarra, HPT incidence is below 1% after anti-HCV(+) donors exclusion. There are subclinics forms of HCV acute postransfusional infection with normal ALT.

CITA DEL ARTÍCULO Med Clin (Barc). 1994 Nov 12;103(16):601-5