RESUMO
The study was aimed at assessment of prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) among donors. Blood sera were tested for anti-HCV, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and bilirubin in two groups of donors. Group 1 were men belonging to organized collective bodies, mean age 20 years, permanent residents of Russia and CIS countries (n = 6157), group 2 were donors of both sexes, mean age 37, 70% men and 30% women, residents of Moscow (n = 1810). Incidence of anti-HCV in group 1 was 1.4%, in group 2 2.5%. ALT levels were elevated vs. the norm by 2.2% in group 2 but in only 4 of these subjects anti-HCV were detected. Bilirubin level was increased in 0.28% of group 1 subjects and in 2.8% of group 2 ones, none of these examinees having anti-HCV. The share of anti-HCV carriers increases with age. Screening for ALT and bilirubin cannot be a substitute for donor blood testing for anti-HCV.
