PREVALENCE OF ANTI-HCV ANTIBODY IN BLOOD-DONORS IN THE TOKYO AREA

Abstract. Prospective studies of posttransfusion hepatitis carried out in the past decade showed that 18.1% of the blood transfusions resulted in non‐A non‐B hepatitis in Japan. As an approach to the prevention of posttransfusion non‐A non‐B hepatitis (PTNANB), anti‐hepatitis C virus (HCV) postitivity was measured in 2,970 blood donations in the Tokyo area, and in 200 children aged between 6 and 15 years. Thirty‐four cases were anti‐HCV‐positive, showing an overall positivity of 1.14%. None of the 200 children younger than 15 years old were positive. Correlation of anti‐HCV positivity with the serum ALT levels was observed, but by reducing the accepted ALT levels from 35 Karmen Units (KU) down to 25 KU, it is estimated that 62.5% of the observed PTNANB would still have occurred, and 5.1% of the donated blood could not be used for transfusion. On the other hand, it is estimated that the majority of PTNANB could be prevented, with the loss of 1.14% of donated blood units, using the anti‐HCV screening test. © 1990 S. Karger AG, Basel