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High Prevalence of Antibody to Hepatitis C Virus in Multitransfused Hemophiliacs with Normal Transaminase Levels
- Maria Grazia Rumi, MD;
- Massimo Colombo, MD;
- Alessandro Gringeri, MD; and
- Pier Mannuccio Mannucci, MD
Excerpt
Non-A, non-B hepatitis is common in hemophiliacs infused with clotting factors concentrates (1, 2). Using serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) as a surrogate test for diagnosis, the proportion of hemophiliacs with chronic infection varies greatly, ranging from 20% (3) to 77% (4). Accurate estimation of chronic infection may be important clinically, because up to 20% of the patients may develop cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (5, 6). With the advent of a serologic assay for diagnosing infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), the major causative agent of blood-borne non-A, non-B hepatitis (7, 8), the real frequency of chronic infection in hemophiliacs
Article and Author Information
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From the A. Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center and the University of Milan, Milan, Italy. For current author addresses, see end of text.
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Requests for Reprints: Pier Mannuccio Mannucci, MD, A. Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Via Pace 9, 20122 Milano, Italy.
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Current Author Addresses: Drs. Rumi, Colombo, Gringeri, and Mannucci: A. Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Via Pace 9, 20122 Milano, Italy.
