Hepatitis C virus RNA in serum of blood donors with or without elevated transaminase levels

The pattern of hepatitis C virus (HCV) viremia in blood donors who are positive for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) according to the level of transaminase activity is unclear. A polymerase chain reaction-based HCV RNA detection method was used to study two clearly defined groups of anti-HCV-positive blood donors with repeatedly normal (n = 27) and elevated (n = 17) alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. HCV RNA was detected in only 4 of 27 blood donors with normal ALT values and 15 of 17 with elevated ALT values. These results indicate that anti-HCV- positive blood donors with normal ALT levels constitute a heterogeneous group, as HCV viremia is detectable in only a small proportion of cases. Polymerase chain reaction should be useful in the surveillance of anti-HCV-positive blood donors with normal ALT levels, by identifying those who might benefit from further investigation and treatment.     

Long-term follow-up of and infectivity in blood donors with hepatitis C antibodies and persistently normal alanine aminotransferase levels

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the prevalence of serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in blood donors with HCV antibodies and persistently normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-nine anti-HCV-positive donors with normal ALT on four determinations at 3-month intervals were further tested monthly for 6 months, and they had normal ALT values. The presence of HCV RNA was determined in these 39 donors. RESULTS: Serum HCV RNA was detected in 16 of 39 donors, 14 of 14 who reacted on second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA-2) and 2 of 15 who were indeterminate. None of the 10 RIBA-2-nonreactive donors had evidence of viremia. The 15 RIBA-2- indeterminate samples were tested with third-generation RIBA (RIBA-3); the results showed reactivity in 5 (including the 2 HCV RNA positive), an indeterminate pattern in 7, and nonreactivity in 3 (all RNA negative). Among HCV RNA-positive subjects, mean age (p < 0.05), mean ALT (p < 0.001), signal-to-cutoff (S:CO) ratio on second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (p < 0.001), and gamma globulin levels (p < 0.05) were higher than those among HCV RNA-negative subjects. During 6 additional months of ALT monitoring, completed by 36 of 39 donors, increased values were detected in 6 (5 HCV RNA positive). In 4 of those 6, however, ALT levels were less than 1.5-fold the upper normal limit. HCV RNA results were unchanged at the end of 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Forty-one percent of anti-HCV-positive donors with persistently normal ALT had active HCV infection. Long-term ALT monitoring allowed the detection of significantly increased enzyme values in only 2 of 16 viremic donors. Reactivity on RIBA-2 or -3, greater age, mean ALT levels in the upper range of normal, higher S:CO ratio on second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and higher gamma globulin levels were predictive of viremia.     

对丙型肝炎病毒感染的10名献血者的追踪研究

目的：了解感染丙型肝炎病毒（ Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ）献血者的预后。方法：选择刚发生 Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ 感染的３０ 名献血者,进行定期多项指标的动态追踪观察,对其中１０ 名自愿者作了肝组织病理检查。结果：１０ 名 Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ 感染者４ 年的１０３ 份系列血清检测及肝组织检查获得以下结果：①血清各种 Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ 抗体大多持续存在,１０ 人中无 Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ 抗体完全转阴者;②１０ 名感染者中 ９ 名血清 Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ Ｒ Ｎ Ａ 持续阳性或间断阳性,仅 １ 名在感染后１ 年转阴;③血清 Ａ Ｌ Ｔ 水平常有波动,１０ 名感染者１０３ 份血清 Ａ Ｌ Ｔ水平异常者占 ３０％ ;④１０ 名 Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ 感染者肝活检均表现为轻度慢性肝炎,７ 人的肝组织中有６ 人查到 Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ Ｒ Ｎ Ａ。结论：发生 Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ 感染的献血者大多有向慢性肝炎发展的趋势,因此对 Ｈ Ｃ Ｖ 感染的献血者应当积极采取适当治疗措施,以控制其向慢性肝炎发展。     

丙型肝炎病毒感染的献血者10年追踪观察

目的　追踪观察发生HCV感染的献血者的疾病进程和健康状况。方法　从 1993年 10月～ 2 0 0 4年 2月 ,对 30名HCV感染的献血者定期抽取血液标本 ,观察所得到的 4 4 2份系列标本的血清ALT、抗 HCV和HCV RNA的动态变化 ,并进行HCV分型测定 ,重点分析了其中 10名自愿者肝组织的病理检查结果和血清ALT、抗 HCV与HCV RNA的动态变化。结果　① 30名HCV感染者系列标本中 ,ALT异常率 37.6 % (16 6 / 4 4 2 ) ;抗 HCV阳性率97.1% (42 9/ 4 4 2 ,ELISA法 ) ;HCV RNA阳性率 74 .9% (331/ 4 4 2 )。② 10名HCV感染的献血者 10年系列血清中抗 HCV大多数持续存在 (94 4 % ,15 1/ 16 0 ) ,其HCV RNA时有间隙性阴性 ,阳性率 6 7 5 % (10 8/ 16 0 )其血清ALT水平异常率 33 6 % (5 0 / 14 9)。③HCV分型测定 :HCVⅡ / 1b型占 85 % (2 2 / 2 6 ) ,Ⅲ / 2a型占 15 % (4/ 2 6 )。④ 10名HCV感染者肝组织检查显示均为轻度慢性肝炎。结论　肝组织的病理变化同血清抗 HCV、HCV RNA和ALT的异常有明显相关性。虽然HCV感染后 10年的疾病进程大多是缓慢的 ,但应采取适当治疗措施以控制慢性肝炎的发展。     

丙型肝炎病毒感染的献血者12年追踪观察

目的动态追踪观察HCV感染的献血者健康状况、疾病进程和转归。方法选择刚发生HCV感染的献血者,12年中定期抽血检测,观察其HCV RNA、抗-HCV和ALT的动态变化,并按HCV RNA出现的阳性频率和转阴趋势分为两组(第1组阳性率低且趋转阴,第2组则相反),调查这些感染者的健康状况,并进行肝脾B超检查和肝组织病理检查。结果①第1组中的7名受试者血清(血浆)HCV-RNA呈间隙性阳性,阳性率为41.6%(47/113),其血清ALT异常率为14.4%(16/111),其中4名作肝活检后均诊断为轻度慢性肝炎,病理改变程度是:G1、S0和G1、S1各2例;②第2组中的19名受试者血清(血浆)HCV RNA呈持续性阳性,阳性率为88.2%(276/313),其血清ALT异常率为50.3%(159/316),其中6名肝活检也诊断为轻度慢性肝炎,但病理改变明显,G2、S2有2例,G2、S1有4例;③26名受试者一般健康状况尚佳,除部分肝脾B超呈现实质回声增强外,无其他特殊情况发现。结论26名HCV感染的献血者12年间均已发展为轻度慢性丙型肝炎;其中7名受试者病情在恢复,19名受试者病情可能有发展。     

Antiproliferative effect of hepatitis C virus on mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells: potential role in viral persistence in Egyptian patients

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to study the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and sera of chronic HCV patients on phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated normal donor PBMCs and to study the effect of chronic HCV infection on some cytokine profile. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: (3)H-Thymidine uptake was utilized to study effect of pelleted virus and patients sera on PBMCs proliferation in vitro. The study included 337 Egyptian chronic liver patients from Ain Shams University Hospitals and 90 healthy control subjects. The patients' group included chronic hepatitis C (250 subjects), and other chronic liver diseases (87 subjects). All subjects' sera were subjected to RT-PCR for HCV RNA detection, IL-4, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha measurement by EIA, and biochemical measurement of ALT and albumin. RESULTS: Treatment of PHA-stimulated normal donor PBMCs with pelleted virus led to decrease (dose response) in their rate of proliferation. This was partially reversed after addition of HCV RNA positive patients' sera. HCV RNA positive patients were significantly higher in IL-4 and ALT, and lower in IL-1beta and albumin than HCV RNA negative patients. CONCLUSION: HCV infection suppresses early immune response. This leads to increased IL-4 Th2 cytokine.     

丙型肝炎患者血清和外周血单个核细胞中HCV RNA检测及意义

目的 了解丙肝患者血清和外周血单个核细胞(PBMC)中HCV RNA存在情况及其临床意义。方法 应用套式PCR检测46例急性丙型肝炎(丙型肝炎以下简称丙肝)和42例慢性丙肝患者血清和PBMC中HCV RNA.结果 慢性丙肝患者PBMC中HCV RNA检出率显著高于急性丙肝患者(P<0.001);急、慢性丙肝患者血清和慢性丙肝患者PBMC中HCV RNA检出率显著高于ALT正常的抗-HCV阳性者(P<0.001);2例患者血清中HCV RNA阴性,PBMC中可测及,12例患者血清抗-HCV阴性,而血清HCV RNA阳性。结论 血清HCV RNA检测有助于抗-HCV阴性丙肝的诊断和早期诊断;丙肝的肝损害可能与HCV RNA血症有关;PBMC中HCV感染在丙肝的慢性化和慢性肝损害中可能起一定作用,PBMC中可贮存HCV RNA。     

抗-HCV阳性献血者血清HCV RNA水平与ALT活性的关系

目的 分析抗-HCV阳性献血者血清HCV RNA含量与ALT活性的关系。方法 采用ELISA法检测抗-HCV，阳性标本用荧光PCR试剂盒测定HCV RNA，分析标本ALT活性与HCV RNA水平的关系。结果 60份抗-HCV阳性标本经PCR检测后有27份标本含有HCV RNA，HCV RNA拷贝量与ALT活性呈正相关，且标本的HCV RNA含量越多，ALT活性也越高(P＜0．01)。结论 献血者中筛查ALT并结合PCR技术，能减少HCV经血传播的危险。     

血液病患者输血与庚型肝炎病毒感染的研究

目的：了解血液病患者输血后的庚型肝炎病毒（ＨＧＶ）感染情况。方法：对６３例血液病患者采用ＲＴＰＣＲ方法检测ＨＧＶＲＮＡ、丙型肝炎病毒（ＨＣＶ）ＲＮＡ，应用ＥＬＩＳＡ方法检测抗ＨＧＶ、ＨＢｓＡｇ。结果：ＨＧＶＲＮＡ阳性率为７．９％，抗ＨＧＶ阳性率６．３％；ＨＣＶＲＮＡ阳性率为４６．０％。ＨＧＶ感染通常伴有ＨＣＶ感染及丙氨酸转氨酶升高。ＨＧＶ感染与输血量有关，与血液病种类无关。结论：血液病输血可引起ＨＣＶ、ＨＧＶ的传播     

Transmission of serologically silent hepatitis B virus along with hepatitis C virus in two cases of posttransfusion hepatitis

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related DNA sequences in blood from three blood donors and two transfusion recipients who developed posttransfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH). In the first case, the sole donor was positive for antibody to hepatitis B surface (HBs) and core (HBc) antigens and had elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, while the recipient had no HBV serologic markers. Both the donor and the recipient had serologic markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and were found positive for HBV DNA and HCV RNA sequences by PCR. The second case involved two donors and one recipient. Serologic tests for conventional HBV markers were negative in all three individuals, but one of the donors had elevated ALT. HBV DNA sequences were detected by PCR in the serum of the recipient and of the donor with high ALT, but not in the serum of the donor with normal ALT. Anti-HCV was detected in the serum of the recipient and of the suspect donor but not in that of the donor with normal ALT. The sequences amplified in the S region and determined after cloning of PCR products for both donor-recipient pairs were indistinguishable from each other and identical to the sequence of the major HBV subtype of adw in the first case and ayw in the second case. Furthermore, for the second case, an identical single-point mutation was found in both the donor and the recipient. These data confirm the transmission of conserved HBV sequences together with HCV in posttransfusion NANBH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Prevalence of hepatitis C infection in a large urban hospital-based sample of individuals with spinal cord injury

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of hepatitis C infection in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Retrospective case survey. SETTING: Outpatient clinic devoted to SCI follow-up care located in a county-government rehabilitation center. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 531 unselected individuals with chronic SCI. INTERVENTIONS: Patients underwent routine annual physical examinations at the outpatient clinic, and were tested for hepatitis C antibodies, antibodies to hepatitis core antigen, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and bilirubin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies and liver test abnormalities. RESULTS: Seventeen percent of the cohort was anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) reactive (HCV positive). The prevalence of HCV infection in those who sustained SCI before 1990 was 21% compared with 7% (10/147) of those who were injured from 1990 onward (, P=.0002). Period of injury (Wald, P=.0042) and age (Wald, P=.048) were the only significant factors for anti-HCV reactivity. Thirty percent of the HCV-positive individuals had abnormal ALT levels compared with only 10% of the HCV-negative individuals (, P<.0001). Individuals who were HCV positive were more likely to be hepatitis B core antigen-reactive compared with those who were HCV negative (31% vs 9%;, P<.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HCV infection among individuals with chronic SCI is significantly higher than the general population. The majority of those with SCI and HCV infection have normal liver tests. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for HCV infection, even in the absence of elevated aminotransferase activities.     

Prevalence of hepatitis G in patients on chronic hemodialysis

Hepatitis G virus (HGV) is a newly described RNA virus from the family of flaviviridae. It is closely related to the hepatitis C Virus (HCV) but is more common than HCV among healthy blood donors. The pathogenicity of HGV in immunosuppressed patients such as those undergoing hemodialysis is unclear. We measured the incidence of HGV in 105 patients undergoing hemodialysis in a chronic outpatient hemodialysis facility. HGV-RNA was detected using a RT-PCR method with primers directed against the 5' non-coding region and the NS5a gene of HGV. Nine (8.6%) patients were HGV RNA positive, eleven (10.5%) were anti-HCV positive, three (2.9%) were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. Four patients were positive for both HGV and HCV; three of them had normal liver enzymes while one showed elevated ALT levels but no other signs of exacerbation of preexisting hepatitis. The prevalence of HGV among dialysis patients is comparable to that of HCV. The transmission route for HCV is nosocomial transmission during dialysis, whereas HGV shows both ways of transmission: blood transfusion mediated by a high prevalence of HGV among healthy blood donors and nosocomial transmission. HGV appears to play a minor role in acute hepatitis, even in immunosuppressed patients.     

Rare detection of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus genomes by polymerase chain reaction in seronegative donors with elevated alanine aminotransferase

BACKGROUND: Since screening for antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) was introduced in 1990, posttransfusion hepatitis has been reduced to nearly background levels. This has led to reconsideration of the value of testing donated blood for elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The contribution of ALT testing in detecting seronegative infection was evaluated by the performance of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HCV in plasma from ALT-elevated blood units. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Testing was performed on 375 units of plasma, derived from an equivalent of 47,500 blood donations, with a highly sensitive hemi-nested PCR procedure. Using a triplet of primers directed at the conserved regions of HBV DNA and 5'-noncoding regions of HCV RNA, the hemi-nested PCR assay can reliably amplify 10 viral molecules to levels detectable in ethidium bromide-stained agarose gels. Pools of plasma from groups of four donors were screened with hemi-nested PCR. For any reactive pools, the plasma from individual donors was retested twice on different aliquots. RESULTS: Two of 375 units, both with midrange ALT elevation, were repeatedly reactive in hemi-nested PCR (one each for HBV DNA and HCV RNA). However, samples from the two suspect donors tested 9 and 5 months later revealed no seroconversion, elevated ALT, or viral genomes in hemi-nested PCR. CONCLUSION: The lack of confirmed HBV or HCV infection in this study representing an estimated 47,500 voluntary blood donations suggests that routine ALT testing for further prevention of posttransfusion hepatitis after exclusion of HBV- and/or HCV-seropositive blood may be superfluous.     

Seroprevalence of known and putative hepatitis markers in United States blood donors with ALT levels at least 120 IU per L

BACKGROUND: ALT testing of blood donors was initiated as a surrogate marker for non-A, non-B hepatitis. Increased sensitivity of subsequent HBV and HCV tests used for standard donor screening make any residual value of ALT testing questionable. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in 166 of 645 eligible blood donors from three American Red Cross regions whose ALT was > or =120 IU per L and whose standard donor screening tests were negative. Of these enrolled donors, 124 (75%) completed follow-up. Samples obtained from the index donation, at enrollment (1 month), and at follow-up (6 months) underwent the standard donor screening tests, as well as those for HCV RNA and HGV RNA (RT-PCR), antibodies to the virus envelope E2 protein of GB virus type C (GBV-C E2 antibody), and IgM antibody for CMV, parvovirus B19, EBV VCA, and HAV. Participants completed a brief demographic and exposure history questionnaire at follow-up. RESULTS: All study samples were negative in standard donor-screening tests. ALT levels were variable at return visits, with 80 to 86 percent <120 IU per L. No participants were positive for HCV RNA; 4 percent were positive for HGV RNA, and 10 percent were positive for GBV-C E2 antibody. Results of CMV, parvovirus B19, EBV VCA, and HAV testing were similar to published background rates. No demographic or exposure history variables had significant correlation with ALT or other testing results. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that an ALT > or =120 IU per L in blood donors with negative standard screening tests has questionable value as a surrogate marker for seronegative HBV or HCV infection. Continued ALT testing may contribute little, if anything, to the safety of blood components or plasma for further manufacture.     

Characteristics of hepatitis C-positive blood donors in Victoria, Australia

Data from 3156 voluntary blood donors in Victoria, Australia, who were repeatedly reactive on anti-HCV screening test were analysed. It showed that between 1990 and 1997, 0.97% of routine blood donors were anti-HCV repeat reactive. Sixty-four (64) donors tested positive for HCV RNA. They were more likely to be male, had a mean age of 32.7 +/- 10.9 years and a mean serum ALT level of 70.9 +/- 46.5 i.u.L-1: the latter value being significantly different from donors with biological false reactivity (P < 0.0001). Among HCV antibody-positive donors there was a significantly increased rate of prior injecting drug use (34 vs. 1%), transfusion (25 vs. 10%) and tattooing (31 vs. 7%) than among donors with biological false reactivity (all P < 0.0001). The association of these risk factors is stronger with positivity for both immunoblot and HCV RNA than immunoblot alone. The data suggest that efforts should be made to increase the efficacy of donor questioning about prior drug use.     

Detection of replicative intermediates of hepatitis C viral RNA in liver and serum of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

The hepatitis C virus is a positive stranded hepatotropic RNA virus. We describe a method of detecting positive and negative strands of hepatitis C viral RNA using the polymerase chain reaction. We tested serum and liver tissue from nine patients with chronic hepatitis C. The positive RNA strand of HCV was detected in the sera and livers of all nine, the negative strand was detected in the livers of eight (89%), and in the sera of five (55%). Titers of both strands of HCV RNA were determined by serial endpoint dilutions. The amount of the negative strand in the serum and liver was usually 10-100 times less than the positive strand. Predigestion of serum with ribonucleases did not alter the detection of the negative strand. This suggests that the negative strand found in the serum may be protected from digestion by being associated with virions.     

丙型肝炎病毒RNA含量与抗-HCV及ALT的关系

目的 了解丙型肝炎病毒核糖核酸(HCV RNA)与丙型肝炎病毒抗体(抗-HCV)及丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)的关系.方法 144例在本院住院和门诊同时检测HCV RNA、抗-HCV及ALT的患者,用荧光定量逆转录聚合酶链反应(FQ-RT-PCR)法检测标本中的HCV RNA,同时采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)法检测抗-HCV,用全自动生化检测仪测定ALT水平.结果 144例标本中HCV RNA高于上限值34例(23.6%),抗-HCV阳性44例(30.6%),二者有很好的相关性.有46例(31.8%)存在ALT异常,而ALT异常率与HCV RNA含量有一定的比例关系.结论 HCV RNA含量与抗-HCV同时检测可提高临床对丙型肝炎的诊断.HCV RNA是反映HCV复制的可靠指标,结合ALT结果可帮助临床了解HCV在体内的复制状况及肝脏的炎性反应状态.FQ-RT-PCR法检测HCV RNA具有非常好的临床应用价值.     

Correlation of serum adiponectin levels and hepatic steatosis in hepatitis c virus genotype 1 infection

Steatosis is an important cofactor in hepatitis C virus (HCV) because it is associated with fibrosis and reduces early and sustained virologic response. Recent studies suggest that HCV genotype 1 is not steatogenic if additional risk factors are not present. Because hypoadiponectinemia was found to be a feature of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) independent of insulin resistance, its level in patients with hepatitis C genotype can reveal the optimal therapeutic strategy. This study was conducted to determine the role of the relationship between steatosis and serum adiponectin levels in the progression of liver damage in HCV genotype 1 without known risk factors for NASH. Patients (n=50) with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C (CHC), positive HCV RNA, and raised alanine aminotransferase were enrolled. They were carefully selected to rule out possible confounding factors for the presence of steatosis and additional systemic or liver disease. Associations between serum adiponectin levels and grade of steatosis, histologic activity index (HAI), fibrosis grade of liver biopsies, patient age, HCV viral load, and serum transaminase activities were studied. Also, adiponectin levels were compared with those of a control group of 30 healthy volunteers with normal ultrasound findings of the upper abdomen who had no known NASH risk factors. The investigators found that adiponectin levels in patients with CHC genotype 1 were similar to those in healthy subjects. No significant association was found between adiponectin levels and severity of steatosis, HCV RNA levels, HAI, transaminases, and fibrosis. Steatosis was present in 41 patients (82%) with CHC. Multivariate analysis of data on 50 patients revealed that severity of steatosis was independently related to age alone (P=.03). A correlation between HCV RNA load and HAI was observed (P=.02; r=0.712). HAI also was associated with stage of fibrosis (P=.00;r= 0.612). In cases of chronic HCV genotype 1 hepatitis, steatosis is a common histologic feature, although no risk factors are known. Results presented here cannot establish an association between adiponectin and severity of steatosis when risk factors for steatosis are unknown. Additional studies are needed to discover a metabolic treatment that would seek to improve the progression of hepatic steatosis in CHC infection.     

Impact of screening blood donors for hepatitis C antibody on posttransfusion hepatitis: a prospective study with a second-generation anti-hepatitis C virus assay

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C is the major cause of posttransfusion hepatitis. Blood components that are positive for antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) can transmit posttransfusion hepatitis. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To investigate the effect on posttransfusion hepatitis of screening blood donors with a second-generation test for anti-HCV, 249 transfusion recipients who underwent cardiovascular surgery were prospectively followed. Six recipients who were positive for anti-HCV before transfusion and 51 subjects with incomplete follow-up were excluded from this study. RESULTS: Eleven (13.8%) of 80 subjects who received unscreened blood had two successive serum alanine aminotransferase levels > 90 U per L. Seven (8.8% of total) developed anti-HCV and HCV RNA and two (2.5% of total) developed IgM antibody to cytomegalovirus (IgM anti-CMV). By contrast, 3 (2.7%) of the 112 subjects who received anti-HCV-screened blood had two successive serum alanine aminotransferase levels > 90 U per L. None of these three developed anti-HCV and HCV RNA, but two (1.8% of total) showed the development of IgM anti-CMV. The study shows that screening for anti- HCV in blood donors with a second-generation test almost abrogated posttransfusion viral hepatitis C. CONCLUSION: After anti-HCV screening, other body fluid-transmitted viruses such as CMV may become important in posttransfusion hepatitis.