Incidence of hepatitis and seroconversion to hepatitis C virus after open-heart surgery in transfused and non-transfused patients in Sweden

Scand J Infect Dis. 1991;23(1):25-9. doi: 10.3109/00365549109023370.

Abstract

The transmission of non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANB)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) was studied in patients undergoing open-heart surgery and related to the reception of blood products and hospitalization and surgery per se. Posttransfusion hepatitis NANB was noticed in 17/390 (4.4%) patients receiving heterologous blood and 8/16 tested became positive for anti-HCV (Ortho HCV ELISA), all within 5 months after onset of hepatitis. Among patients with normal ALAT before surgery and during follow-up, who had received heterologous blood, 1/50 seroconverted after 6 months. This patient probably had a subclinical HCV infection, or possibly a temporary non-specific anti-HCV reactivity with a maximum optical density/cut-off ratio (OD/CO) of 1.2, whereas all posttransfusion hepatitis C cases had OD/CO ratios greater than 4. No hepatitis occurred among the 92 non-transfused patients and no seroconversion was found in any of 62 non-transfused patients tested 6 months after the operation. It was concluded that (1) hospitalization and surgery per se does not seem to offer a risk of hepatitis NANB/C, and (2) seroconversion to for HCV occurs in only 50% of Swedish patients with acute posttransfusion NANB hepatitis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Blood Transfusion*
  • Cardiac Surgical Procedures*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hepacivirus / immunology
  • Hepatitis Antibodies / blood
  • Hepatitis C / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis C / transmission*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Liver / enzymology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sweden / epidemiology

Substances

  • Hepatitis Antibodies
  • Alanine Transaminase