Transfusion aspects of viral hepatitis C

: The investigation comprised 83 patients with acute non-A, non-B hepatitis who were treated at the Clinic of Infectious and Dermatovenerology Diseases in Novi Sad in the period 1986-1991. They were receiving blood transfusions and/or blood products from blood donors who had not been previously tested for presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV). In order to establish diagnosis anti-HCV ELISA screening tests from various producers were used. Out of 83 blood screening assays 17 patients (20.48%) were found to be anti-HCV seropositive. Out of these 17 seropositive patients 3 patients were intravenous drug-addicts (IVDA), while 14 patients (16.68%) previously received blood transfusions, whereas out of these 7 patients underwent open heart surgery. Only 2 blood donors, out of 48 whose blood was used for therapeutical purposes, were found to have anti-HCV antibodies after blood screening assays. The blood with detected anti-HCV antibodies caused acute post transfusion hepatitis C in 6 blood recipients. The obtained results show that comprehensive and thorough blood screening assays should be performed in all blood donors in order to prevent incidence of post transfusion C hepatitis. The Blood Transfusion Center in Novi Sad introduced compulsory viral screening assays for all blood donors on November 15, 1994, and since then 15019 blood donors have been tested. Only 38 (0.25%) were found to be anti-HCV seropositive, and were excluded from further blood donation and are under constant control. Now it is impossible to transmit HCV to patients who receive blood transfusion and/or blood products, and at the same time anti-HCV seropositive donors are prevented to develop chronic hepatitis and adverse complications due to HCV presence.