Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence in Italian haemophiliacs injected with virus-inactivated concentrates: five year follow-up and correlation with antibodies to other viruses

J Med Virol. 1991 Jan;33(1):43-6. doi: 10.1002/jmv.1890330109.

Abstract

The overall prevalence of anti-HCV antibody in a group of 125 haemophiliacs was 62%. Four patients who had never received replacement therapy were anti-HCV negative. Of the 121 patients injected regularly with commercial concentrates, 76 were already anti-HCV seropositive in 1985 and remained so throughout the follow-up. Two patients seroconverted in 1987 without obvious signs or symptoms of hepatitis. Our patients were treated with dry heat-treated concentrates since 1985 and with wet heat- or solvent/detergent-treated concentrates since 1988. The absence of further seroconversions and of symptoms of acute post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis since 1988 suggest that present virucidal treatments of concentrates are effective in preventing HCV transmission. Anti-HCV positivity appeared to be unrelated to the type and degree of haemophilia as well as to the presence of antibodies to hepatitis B virus, human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and human herpesvirus type 6.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Viral / analysis*
  • Child
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • HIV Antibodies / analysis
  • HIV-1 / immunology*
  • Hemophilia A / epidemiology
  • Hemophilia A / immunology*
  • Hemophilia A / microbiology
  • Hepacivirus / immunology*
  • Hepatitis Antibodies / analysis
  • Hepatitis C / complications
  • Hepatitis C / epidemiology*
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies
  • Herpesvirus 6, Human / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Vaccines, Inactivated*
  • Viral Vaccines

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • HIV Antibodies
  • Hepatitis Antibodies
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies
  • Vaccines, Inactivated
  • Viral Vaccines