Anti-HCV related to HCV PCR and risk factors analysis in a blood donor population of Central Brazil

Martins, R. M. B.; Vanderborght, B. O. M.; Rouzere, C. D.; Santana, C. L.; Santos, C. O.; Mori, D. N.; Ferreira, R. G.; Yoshida, C. F. T.

doi:10.1590/S0036-46651994000600005

Abstracts

Data concerning HCV infection in Central Brazil are rare. Upon testing 2,350 voluntary blood donors from this region, we found anti-HCV prevalence rates of 2.2% by a second generation ELISA and 1.4% after confirmation by a line immunoassay. Antibodies against core, NS4, and NS5 antigens of HCV were detected in 81.8%, 72.7%, and 57.5%, respectively, of the positive samples in the line immunoassay. HCV viremia was present in 76.6% of the anti-HCV-positive blood donors. A relation was observed between PCR positivity and serum reactivity in recognizing different HCV antigens in the line immunoassay. The majority of the positive donors had history of previous parenteral exposure. While the combination of ALT>50 IU/l and anti-HBc positivity do not appear to be good surrogate markers for HCV infection, the use of both ALT anti-HCV tests is indicated in the screening of Brazilian blood donors.

HCV; Anti-HCV; PCR; Risk factors; ALT; Anti-HBc; Blood donors

Ainda são raros os dados sobre a infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C (HCV) na região central do Brasil. Neste estudo, 2.350 doadores voluntários de sangue foram avaliados, resultando em prevalências para o anti-HCV de 2,2%, pelo ELISA de segunda geração, e de 1,4%, após o ensaio confirmatório "line immunoassay". Anticorpos contra os antígenos "core", NS4 e NS5 do HCV foram detectados em 81,8%, 72,7% e 57,5% das amostras positivas no "line immunoassay", respectivamente. A viremia do HCV foi observada em 76,6% dos doadores anti-HCV positivos. A positividade na reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) mostrou-se relacionada a reatividade aos diferentes antígenos do HCV no "line immunoassay". A maioria dos doadores positivos tiveram história prévia de exposição parenteral. A combinação de ALT> 50 UI/l e positividade ao anti-HBc parece não ser eficaz como marcadores indiretos para a infecção pelo HCV, entretanto a dosagem do ALT e a detecção de anti-HCV são indicadas na triagem de doadores de sangue brasileiros.

VIROLOGY

Anti-HCV related to HCV PCR and risk factors analysis in a blood donor population of Central Brazil

Anticorpo anti-HCV relacionado a detecção do HCV por PCR e análise de fatores de risco em uma população de doadores de sangue do Brasil Central

R. M. B. Martins^I; B. O. M. Vanderborght^II; C. D. Rouzere^II; C. L. Santana^III; C. O. Santos^III; D. N. Mori^III; R. G. Ferreira^I; C. F. T. Yoshida^IV

^ILab. de Virologia, IPTEST, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia-GO, Brazil

^IIInnogenetics, Ghent, Belgium

^IIIHemocentro de Goiás, Goiânia-GO, Brazil

^IVDep. de Virologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil

^{Correspondence to} Correspondence to: Regina M. B. Martins Dep. Microbiologia, IPTESP, Universidade Federal de Goiás CP 131,74605-050, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil Fax: 55 62 261 6414

SUMMARY

Data concerning HCV infection in Central Brazil are rare. Upon testing 2,350 voluntary blood donors from this region, we found anti-HCV prevalence rates of 2.2% by a second generation ELISA and 1.4% after confirmation by a line immunoassay. Antibodies against core, NS4, and NS5 antigens of HCV were detected in 81.8%, 72.7%, and 57.5%, respectively, of the positive samples in the line immunoassay. HCV viremia was present in 76.6% of the anti-HCV-positive blood donors. A relation was observed between PCR positivity and serum reactivity in recognizing different HCV antigens in the line immunoassay. The majority of the positive donors had history of previous parenteral exposure. While the combination of ALT>50 IU/l and anti-HBc positivity do not appear to be good surrogate markers for HCV infection, the use of both ALT anti-HCV tests is indicated in the screening of Brazilian blood donors.

Keywords: HCV; Anti-HCV; PCR; Risk factors; ALT; Anti-HBc; Blood donors.

RESUMO

Ainda são raros os dados sobre a infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C (HCV) na região central do Brasil. Neste estudo, 2.350 doadores voluntários de sangue foram avaliados, resultando em prevalências para o anti-HCV de 2,2%, pelo ELISA de segunda geração, e de 1,4%, após o ensaio confirmatório "line immunoassay". Anticorpos contra os antígenos "core", NS4 e NS5 do HCV foram detectados em 81,8%, 72,7% e 57,5% das amostras positivas no "line immunoassay", respectivamente. A viremia do HCV foi observada em 76,6% dos doadores anti-HCV positivos. A positividade na reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) mostrou-se relacionada a reatividade aos diferentes antígenos do HCV no "line immunoassay". A maioria dos doadores positivos tiveram história prévia de exposição parenteral. A combinação de ALT> 50 UI/l e positividade ao anti-HBc parece não ser eficaz como marcadores indiretos para a infecção pelo HCV, entretanto a dosagem do ALT e a detecção de anti-HCV são indicadas na triagem de doadores de sangue brasileiros.

Full text available only in PDF format.

Texto completo disponível apenas em PDF.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are greatful to F. Shapiro for reviewing the manuscript and to L. Lemos for technical support.

Recebido para publicação em 25/04/1994.

Aceito para publicação em 12/08/1994.

References

1. ALTER, H.J.; PURCELL, R.H.; SHIH, J.W. et al. - Detection of antibody to hepatitis C virus in prospectively followed transfusion recipients with acute and chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. New Engl. J. Med., 321: 1494-1500, 1989.
2. AYMARD, J.P.; BOTTE, C.; CONTAL, P.; JANOT, C. & STREIFF, F. - Séroprévalence des anticorps contre le virus de l'hépatite C chez les donneurs de sang. Path. Biol., 41: 149-153, 1993.
3. CHOMCZYNSKI, P. & SACCHI, N. - Single step method of RNA isolation by acid guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction. Analyt. Biochem., 162: 156-159, 1987.
4. CHOO, Q.L.; KUO, G.; WEINER, A.J. et al. - Isolation of a cDNA clone derived from a blood-borne non-A, non-B viral hepatitis genome. Science, 244: 359-361, 1989.
5. DE BEENHOUWER, H.; VERHAERT, H.; CLAEYS, H. & VERMYLEN, C. - Confirmation of hepatitis C virus positive blood donors by immunoblotting and polymerase chain reaction. Vox Sang. (Basel), 63: 198-203, 1992.
6. DONAHUE, J.G.; MUŃOZ, A.; NESS, P.M. et al. - The declining risk of post-transfusion hepatitis C virus infection. New Engl. J. Med., 327: 369-373, 1992.
7. ESTEBAN, J.I.; LÓPEZ-TALAVERA, J.C.; GENESCÁ, J. et al. - High rate of infectivity and liver disease in blood donors with antibodies to hepatitis C virus. Ann. intern. Med., 115: 443-449, 1991.
8. GARSON, J.A.; CLEWLEY, J.P.; SIMMONDS, P. et al. - Hepatitis C viraemia in United Kingdom blood donors. Vox Sang., (Basel), 62: 218-223, 1992.
9. JULLIEN, A.M.; TREPO, C.; DEJEAN, A.M. & JANOT, C. - Evaluation of the impact of mandatory screening tests on the incidence and etiology of posttransfusion hepatitis: an ongoing multicenter study in France. In: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON VIRAL HEPATITIS AND LIVER DISEASE, 8., Tokyo, 1993. Abstracts. p. 279.
10. KOLHO, E.K. & KRUSIUS, T. - Risk factors for hepatitis C virus antibody positivity in blood donors in a low-risk country. Vox Sang., (Basel) 63: 192-197, 1992.
11. KUO, G.; CHOO, Q.L.; ALTER, H.J. et al. - An assay for circulating antibodies to a major etiologic virus of human non-A, non-B hepatitis. Science, 244: 362-364, 1989.
12. LEE, S.D.; HWANG, S.J.; LU, R.H. et al. - Antibodies to hepatitis C virus in prospectively followed patients with posttransfusion hepatitis. J. infect. Dis., 163: 1354-1357, 1991.
13. LEILE, P.N.; CUYPERS, H.T.M.; REESINK, H.W. et al. - Patterns of serological markers in transfusion-transmitted hepatitis C virus infection using second-generation HCV assays. J. med. Virol., 37: 203-209, 1992.
14. LEVINE, S.; BREY, R. & KITTNER, S. - Riba-2 band intensity and PCR in HCV infection. Lancet, 340: 117, 1992.
15. PEANO, G.M.; FENOGLLO, L.M.; MENARDI, G. et al. - Seroprevalence of HCV antibodies among healthy blood donors in South-Western Piedmont (Italy) in 1992. In: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON VIRAL HEPATITIS AND LIVER DISEASE, 8., Tokyo, 1993. Abstracts. p. 213.
16. REITMAN, S. & FRENKEL, S. - A colorimetric method for the determination of serum glutamic oxaloacetic and glutamic pyruvic transaminases. Amer. J. clin. Path., 28: 56, 1957.
17. SANKARY, T.; ROMEO, J.; ULRICH, P.; BUSCH, M. & VYAS, G.H. - Detection of HCV in seronegative donors with raised ALT. Lancet, 340: 249-250, 1992.
18. STUYVER, L.; ROSSAU, R.; WYSEUR, A. et al. - Typing of hepatitis C virus isolates and characterization of new subtypes using a line probe assay. J. gen. Virol., 74: 1093-1102, 1993.
19. VANDERBORGHT, B.O.M.; REIS, A.M.M.; ROUZERE, C.D. et al. - Prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus in the blood donor population of Rio de Janeiro. Vox Sang. (Basel), 65: 122-125, 1993.
20. WANG, J.T.; WANG, T.H.; LIN, J.T. et al. - Improved serodiagnosis of posttransfusion hepatitis C virus infection by a second-generation immunoassay based on multiple recombinant antigens. Vox Sang., (Basel), 62: 21-24, 1992.
21. YUN, Z.B.; LINDH, G.; WEILAND, O.; JOHANSSON, B. & SÖNNERBORG, A. - Detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by PCR related to HCV antibodies in serum and liver histology in Swedish blood donors. J. med. Virol., 39: 57-61, 1993.

Correspondence to:

Regina M. B. Martins

Dep. Microbiologia, IPTESP, Universidade Federal de Goiás

CP 131,74605-050, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil

Fax: 55 62 261 6414

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
05 July 2006
Date of issue
Dec 1994

History

Received
25 Apr 1994
Accepted
12 Aug 1994

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] 1. ALTER, H.J.; PURCELL, R.H.; SHIH, J.W. et al. - Detection of antibody to hepatitis C virus in prospectively followed transfusion recipients with acute and chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. New Engl. J. Med., 321: 1494-1500, 1989.

[2] 2. AYMARD, J.P.; BOTTE, C.; CONTAL, P.; JANOT, C. & STREIFF, F. - Séroprévalence des anticorps contre le virus de l'hépatite C chez les donneurs de sang. Path. Biol., 41: 149-153, 1993.

[3] 3. CHOMCZYNSKI, P. & SACCHI, N. - Single step method of RNA isolation by acid guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction. Analyt. Biochem., 162: 156-159, 1987.

[4] 4. CHOO, Q.L.; KUO, G.; WEINER, A.J. et al. - Isolation of a cDNA clone derived from a blood-borne non-A, non-B viral hepatitis genome. Science, 244: 359-361, 1989.

[5] 5. DE BEENHOUWER, H.; VERHAERT, H.; CLAEYS, H. & VERMYLEN, C. - Confirmation of hepatitis C virus positive blood donors by immunoblotting and polymerase chain reaction. Vox Sang. (Basel), 63: 198-203, 1992.

[6] 6. DONAHUE, J.G.; MUŃOZ, A.; NESS, P.M. et al. - The declining risk of post-transfusion hepatitis C virus infection. New Engl. J. Med., 327: 369-373, 1992.

[7] 7. ESTEBAN, J.I.; LÓPEZ-TALAVERA, J.C.; GENESCÁ, J. et al. - High rate of infectivity and liver disease in blood donors with antibodies to hepatitis C virus. Ann. intern. Med., 115: 443-449, 1991.

[8] 8. GARSON, J.A.; CLEWLEY, J.P.; SIMMONDS, P. et al. - Hepatitis C viraemia in United Kingdom blood donors. Vox Sang., (Basel), 62: 218-223, 1992.

[9] 9. JULLIEN, A.M.; TREPO, C.; DEJEAN, A.M. & JANOT, C. - Evaluation of the impact of mandatory screening tests on the incidence and etiology of posttransfusion hepatitis: an ongoing multicenter study in France. In: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON VIRAL HEPATITIS AND LIVER DISEASE, 8., Tokyo, 1993. Abstracts. p. 279.

[10] 10. KOLHO, E.K. & KRUSIUS, T. - Risk factors for hepatitis C virus antibody positivity in blood donors in a low-risk country. Vox Sang., (Basel) 63: 192-197, 1992.

[11] 11. KUO, G.; CHOO, Q.L.; ALTER, H.J. et al. - An assay for circulating antibodies to a major etiologic virus of human non-A, non-B hepatitis. Science, 244: 362-364, 1989.

[12] 12. LEE, S.D.; HWANG, S.J.; LU, R.H. et al. - Antibodies to hepatitis C virus in prospectively followed patients with posttransfusion hepatitis. J. infect. Dis., 163: 1354-1357, 1991.

[13] 13. LEILE, P.N.; CUYPERS, H.T.M.; REESINK, H.W. et al. - Patterns of serological markers in transfusion-transmitted hepatitis C virus infection using second-generation HCV assays. J. med. Virol., 37: 203-209, 1992.

[14] 14. LEVINE, S.; BREY, R. & KITTNER, S. - Riba-2 band intensity and PCR in HCV infection. Lancet, 340: 117, 1992.

[15] 15. PEANO, G.M.; FENOGLLO, L.M.; MENARDI, G. et al. - Seroprevalence of HCV antibodies among healthy blood donors in South-Western Piedmont (Italy) in 1992. In: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON VIRAL HEPATITIS AND LIVER DISEASE, 8., Tokyo, 1993. Abstracts. p. 213.

[16] 16. REITMAN, S. & FRENKEL, S. - A colorimetric method for the determination of serum glutamic oxaloacetic and glutamic pyruvic transaminases. Amer. J. clin. Path., 28: 56, 1957.

[17] 17. SANKARY, T.; ROMEO, J.; ULRICH, P.; BUSCH, M. & VYAS, G.H. - Detection of HCV in seronegative donors with raised ALT. Lancet, 340: 249-250, 1992.

[18] 18. STUYVER, L.; ROSSAU, R.; WYSEUR, A. et al. - Typing of hepatitis C virus isolates and characterization of new subtypes using a line probe assay. J. gen. Virol., 74: 1093-1102, 1993.

[19] 19. VANDERBORGHT, B.O.M.; REIS, A.M.M.; ROUZERE, C.D. et al. - Prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus in the blood donor population of Rio de Janeiro. Vox Sang. (Basel), 65: 122-125, 1993.

[20] 20. WANG, J.T.; WANG, T.H.; LIN, J.T. et al. - Improved serodiagnosis of posttransfusion hepatitis C virus infection by a second-generation immunoassay based on multiple recombinant antigens. Vox Sang., (Basel), 62: 21-24, 1992.

[21] 21. YUN, Z.B.; LINDH, G.; WEILAND, O.; JOHANSSON, B. & SÖNNERBORG, A. - Detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by PCR related to HCV antibodies in serum and liver histology in Swedish blood donors. J. med. Virol., 39: 57-61, 1993.