Occult HCV in Egyptian volunteer blood donors

The study aims to investigate the risk of post-transfusion transmission of hepatitis c virus [HCV] in the circumstances of occult HCV when anti-HCV is undetectable by ELISA and HCV-RNA is detected by RT-PCR in the plasma and or in peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs] of donor blood and the recipients are immunocompromised. The study covered 18 chronic renal failure patients [CRF] [12 males [66.7%] their age ranged from 28 to 65 years and 6 females [33.3%] their age ranged from 15 to 55 years] undergoing hemodialysis in Nile Hospital as part of their therapy have to receive blood transfusions [275 blood units] for the first time. Commercial ELISA kits for anti-HCV and nested-RT-PCR [N-RT-PCR] kits were used. Anti-HCV was positive in one serum from the eighteen [5.5%] poly transfused CRF patients at the end of the study while the seventeen sera were negative. This serum was also positive for HCV RNA by N-RT-PCR. Out of the 20 transfused blood units, one blood unit [three components] were tested by blood banking anti-HCV negative by ELISA, were positive for HCV RNA by N-RT-PCR. The collective markers of this blood unit represent an occult HCV. The risk of acquiring post-transfusion HCV infection from an occult HCV blood unit is 5%. Real time PCR showed variation in the viral load of the serum of the infected CRF patient, the plasma of blood unit, the PBMCs of this blood unit whether activated by PHA-M or not

Possible antigenic cross reactivity between hepatitis c virus and schistosoma soluble worm antigens

The possible cross-reactivity between antibodies [Abs] to hepatitis-C virus [HCV] and Schistosoma mansoni was investigated. Ninety-one serum samples were collected from Egyptian adult healthy male blood donor volunteers. Sera were assayed for HCV antibody using a third generation ELISA technique, and divided into two groups. Group I [n = 61] included the anti - HCV positive sera, and group II [n = 30] anti HCV negative sera. For the two groups of sera, the seropositivity for anti - S.mansoni adult microsomal antigen [MAMA] was determined by Falcon assay screening test - ELISA [FAST-ELISA] and found to be higher in group I [78.7%] than group II [33.3%]. In contrast, screening for anti - Escherchia coli Abs by passive haemagglutination test demonstrate positive results in 44 [72.1%] of group I, and 28 [93.3%] of group II. Elimination of schistosoma Abs from HCV +ve sera did not affect detection of Hcv Abs when re-tested. It is concluded that Abs to immunogenic epitopes of Hcv and schistosoma adult worm antigens are not cross-reactive

Assay of viral antibodies in school children by using saliva samples

Saliva was collected from 234 healthy school children aged from 6 to 12 years to be tested for IgG and IgA antibodies to hepatitis A virus [HAV], rubella, measles, mumps and herpes type I viruses. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] to detect antiviral antibodies by immunoglobulin [Ig] class capture was done. These children who had saliva IgG were 129 [anti-HAV]; 105 [anti-rubella]; 101 [anti-measles]; 66 [anti-mumps] and 56 [anti-herpes]. While those children who had in their saliva virus specific IgA were 114 [anti-HAV]; 82 [anti-rubella]; 78 [anti-measles]; 49 [anti-mumps] and 48 [anti-herpes]. Antiviral antibodies in the 6-12 year age group reflect the efficiency of vaccination and herd immunity through natural infection during childhood. On the basis of the percent positive anti-viral IgG or IgA in saliva detected in this study these immune responses are far from optimum