Hepatitis B Virus Antibody in Blood Donors and the Occurrence of Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis in Transfusion Recipients
An Analysis of the Transfusion-Transmitted Viruses Study
- CLADD E. STEVENS, M.D.;
- RICHARD D. AACH, M.D.;
- F. BLAINE HOLLINGER, M.D.;
- JAMES W. MOSLEY, M.D.;
- WOLF SZMUNESS, M.D.;
- RICHARD KAHN, Ph.D.;
- JOCHEWED WERCH, M.D.; and
- VIRGINIA EDWARDS, B.S.
Abstract
Patients who received transfusions and nontransfused control patients were followed to assess the incidence and cause of post-transfusion hepatitis and to identify donor factors that might relate to risk of hepatitis. We evaluated as risk factors in donors the presence of antibody to hepatitis B virus compared with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level. Units of blood that were positive for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) were associated with a twofold to threefold greater risk of non-A, non-B hepatitis in the recipients than were units without anti-HBc. In the absence of specific serologic tests for non-A, non-B agents, screening
Article and Author Information
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▸From the New York Blood Center, New York, New York; Washington University-Barnes Hospital, and the American Red Cross, Missouri-Illinois Region, St. Louis, Missouri; Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; and UCLA Center for Health Sciences, Los Angeles, California.
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Dr. Szmuness has died.
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The Transfusion-Transmitted Viruses Study Group consists of the following: Participating Institutions: the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute of The New York Blood Center, the New York Hospital, and the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York; Washington University School of Medicine-Barnes Hospital, and the Missouri-Illinois Regional Red Cross, St. Louis; Baylor College of Medicine, Ben Taub General Hospital, Jefferson Davis Hospital, and Methodist Hospital, Houston; and the UCLA Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles. Coordinating Center: University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles. Advisory Committee: Dr. Paul V. Holland, chairman; Dr. William H. Bancroft; Dr. Lawrence Shaw; and Dr. Hyman J. Zimmerman.
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▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to Cladd E. Stevens, M.D.; The Wolf Szmuness Laboratory of Epidemiology, The New York Blood Center, 310 East 67th Street; New York, NY 10021.
- © 1984 American College of Physicians
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