[Serologic and genomic markers of the hepatitis C virus in transfusion recipients with non-A, non-B hepatitis]. / Marcadores serológicos y genómicos del virus de la hepatitis C en receptores de transfusiones con hepatitis no A no B.

BACKGROUND: The exclusion of donors with antibodies against the c-100 protein of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) has permitted a considerable reduction in post transfusional (PTH) non A non B hepatitis in those receiving transfusions. However, the risk has not been completely eliminated and there is evidence that some HCV carriers do not present detectable antibodies against protein c-100. In these cases a new diagnostic methodology, named polymerase chain reaction (PCR), permits the detection of the viral genome. METHODS: One hundred fifty eight prospective transfusion recipients were studied. Nineteen (12%) developed non A non B PTH criteria. The presence of anti c-100 and the viral genome were investigated by PCR in 17 of the patients. RESULTS: Nine of the 17 receptors (53%) with non A non B PTH presented antibodies against the HCV. In all patients and in two seronegative patients genomic sequences of HCV were detected by PCR. CONCLUSIONS: By a combination of genomic (PCR) and serological technique, 11 of the 17 transfusion recipients (64%) with non A non B PTH demonstrated evidence of HCV infection. In two cases the infection was seronegative. Although the HCV appeared to be the principal agent of the non A non B PTH in this study it could not be recognized in a third of the recipients who developed non A non B PTH.

[Evidence of HTLV-1 infection in different groups at risk in Barcelona]. / Evidencia de infección por el HTLV-1 en diferentes colectivos de riesgo de Barcelona.

HTLV-1 was the first human retrovirus to be isolated. It has been shown that it is the causative agent of T cell leukemia in the adult and some types of subacute myelopathies. The virus is transmitted by similar routes as the AIDS virus. HTLV-1 infection is endemic in South Japan, the Caribbean countries and some African areas. The prevalence of HTLV-1 infection in our country is unknown in the general population and in the groups at high risk. We report the preliminary results of a study of 1279 serum samples from high risk individuals from the Barcelona area. ELISA and Western blotting were used to detect antibodies. We found evidence of anti-HTLV-1 only in 4 of 905 (0.44%) parenteral drug abusers and in 1 of 102 western Africans. Anti-HTLV-1 were not found in the remaining sera from 62 homosexuals, 53 patients with leukemia and/or lymphoma, 3 with idiopathic spastic paraparesis and 154 with multiple blood transfusions. These results suggest that HTLV-1 has a very low diffusion in our area. The 4 positive heroin addicts are the first reported in our country with evidence of HIV and HTLV-1 coinfection.

[Antibodies against HTLV-1 in patients undergoing multiple transfusions]. / Investigación de anticuerpos frente al HTLV-1 en pacientes politransfundidos.

HTLV-1 is a retrovirus which causes adult T cell leukemia and is transmitted through contaminated blood products. Patients who have received multiple transfusions are therefore at high risk of HTLV-1 infection. Since it has been postulated that 0.5% of Spanish blood donors present HTLV-1 antibodies, we decided to investigate the presence of these in 154 polytransfused patients in Barcelona. We could not demonstrate the presence of HTLV-1 infection in any of the patients although six of them gave positive ELISA results repeatedly. The validity of tests previously used for the detection of HTLV-1 antibodies is discussed and multicentric studies with a wider population sample are suggested in order to establish the real incidence of HTLV-1 infection in our community.