Assessment of antibodies against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 629 patients treated by haemodialysis in 47 dialyzation centres revealed the probability of HCV infection in 196 of them, i.e. in 31%. In a group of 91 patients newly admitted for dialysis, antibodies against HCV were found in 24, i.e. in 26%. The percentage of anti-HCV antibody carriers in different dialyzation units varied between 6 nad 60.

• MeSH
• dialýza ledvin * MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky analýza   MeSH
• hepatitida C diagnóza   MeSH
• imunoglobulin G analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• přenašečství diagnóza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH
• imunoglobulin G MeSH

BACKGROUND: In the majority of patients with acute viral hepatitis C the early antibody IgM anti-HCV in serum is positive. However, a substantial portion of the patients with chronic hepatitis C has also positive IgM anti-HCV as a sign of the continuing replication of the virus. The objective of the work was to assess the presence of IgM anti-HCV in patients with confirmed chronic hepatitis C, in subjects with HBsAg negative chronic hepatitis and in excluded blood donors. Moreover, the authors assessed the relationship between IgM anti-HCV positivity and the activity of serum transaminases and whether the presence of IgM anti-HCV has an impact on the histological finding in the liver. METHODS AND RESULTS: 88 patients were examined (44 women and 44 men), average age 48 years. In 47 subjects histological examinations of the liver were made. IgG anti-HCV were assessed by the Monolisa anti-HCV Sanofi Pasteur test and IgM anti-c22 by an Abbott kit IgM HCV EIA: With regard to the results of the serological examination the patients were divided into three groups which were mutually compared. Group 1 comprised 24 patients with a positive IgG and IgM anti-HCV, group 2 38 patients with a positive IgG anti-HCV only and group 3 26 patients with a negative IgG and IgM anti-HCV. Of 88 examined patients 62 had positive IgG anti-HCV (70%). Of 62 IgG anti-HCV positive subjects 24 (39%) had positive IgM anti-c22. A total of 24 patients had blood transfusions (39%) but only 9 of them had positive IgM anti-c22 (37.5%). The mean ALT serum activity was significantly higher in subjects with positive IgM than in those without IgM (p = 0.006), however, for AST the difference was not significant (p = 0.09). Comparison of patients with a confirmed histological finding in the liver revealed that two-thirds of patients with a positive IgM anti-c22 either suffered from cirrhosis or chronic active hepatitis, while anti-HCV positive patients without IgM anti-c22 had cirrhosis or chronic active hepatitis only in one third of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that in chronic hepatitis C some 40% of the patients have positive IgM anti-c22; these subjects have a significantly higher serum ALT activity and a more advanced histological finding in the liver than subjects without IgM anti-c22. Assessment of IgM anti-c22 is important not only for diagnosis but also for treatment of chronic HCV infection with antiviral drugs.

• MeSH
• chronická nemoc MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky analýza   MeSH
• hepatitida C diagnóza   MeSH
• imunoglobulin M analýza   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH
• imunoglobulin M MeSH

BACKGROUND: The hepatitis C virus is considered the main cause of post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis and the persistence of anti-HCV antibody is considered a sign of chronic disease. The objective was to assess the incidence of anti-HCV positivity in blood donors of the blood transfusion department in Brno where sera of donors of a major part of the South Moravian region are examined. METHODS AND RESULTS: The authors examined between April 1, 1992 and Jan. 31, 1993 27,559 sera of blood donors for anti-HCV, using a MONOLISA anti-HCV set of Diagnostics Pasteur Co. The sera were divided into donors who gave blood for the first time and steady donors. Sera collected during the first three months (April 1, 1992 to June 30, 1992) were excluded as anti-HCV was not assessed before that date. In each group the percentage of sera was assessed where repeatedly reactivity to anti-HCV was recorded. In the whole group of examined sera repeated reactivity to anti-HCV was found in 0.243%. In those who were blood donors for the first time it was 0.408%, in repeated donors 0.210%. In first donors anti-HCV positivity was present in 0.334% during the first three months and 0.443% during the remaining 7 months. A very similar incidence was found also in steady donors--0.349% during the first three months, as before April 1, 1992 these donors were not yet excluded from blood donorship on account of anti-HCV positivity. In steady donors during the last 7 months a marked drop of anti-HCV positivity to 0.150% was found due to exclusion of anti-HCV positive subjects during the previous three months. CONCLUSIONS: In blood donors from the South Moravian region positivity of anti-HCV antibodies was recorded 0.35% to 0.44%.

• MeSH
• dárci krve * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• Hepacivirus imunologie   MeSH
• hepatitida - protilátky krev   MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hepatitida - protilátky MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH

In the majority of patients with acute hepatitis C the anti-HCV IgM antibodies in serum were present, however, some patients with chronic hepatitis C were positive for anti-HCV IgM too. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of anti-c22 IgM in patients with chronic hepatitis C and to determine whether the positivity for anti-c22 IgM has an impact on the histological finding in the liver. A total of 88 patients were examined (44 women, 44 men), mean age 48 years. The first group comprised 24 patients positive for both anti-HCV IgG and anti-c22 IgM, the second group 38 patients positive for anti-HCV IgG only, and the third group 26 patients negative for both anti-HCV IgG and anti-c22 IgM. Of 62 anti-HCV-IgG-positive subjects 24 (39%) were positive also for anti-c22 IgM. Of 24 patients who received a blood transfusion 9 (37.5%) were positive for anti-c22 IgM. The mean serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity was significantly higher in subjects with anti-c22 IgM than that in subjects without them (p = 0.006), however, the difference in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was not significant (p = 0.09). Histological examination was performed in 46 patients. Two-thirds of the patients with anti-c22 IgM had either cirrhosis or chronic active hepatitis (CAH) while only one third of the anti-HCV-positive patients without anti-c22 IgM had CAH or cirrhosis. The results showed that approximately 40% of the patients with CAH and cirrhosis had anti-c22 IgM, a significantly higher serum ALT activity and more serious histological finding in the liver than anti-HCV-positive patients without anti-c22 IgM.

• MeSH
• chronická nemoc MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• Hepacivirus imunologie   MeSH
• hepatitida C - antigeny imunologie   MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky krev   imunologie   MeSH
• hepatitida C krev   imunologie   MeSH
• imunoglobulin G krev   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• proteiny virového jádra imunologie   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• core protein p22, Hepatitis C virus MeSH Prohlížeč
• hepatitida C - antigeny MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH
• imunoglobulin G MeSH
• nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis C virus MeSH Prohlížeč
• proteiny virového jádra MeSH

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of hepatitis C in the general Slovak population without any further evaluation or risk group stratification. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 3,608 remnant serum specimens from epidemiological surveys in 1997 (1,484 specimens) and 2002 (2,124) were analyzed. These were from randomly selected persons over 15 years of age from all over Slovakia. The anti-HCV antibodies were detected using the 4th generation ELISA test. In case of positive or borderline results, the presence of HCV RNA was determined qualitatively. RESULTS: Of the 3,608 analyzed specimens, 55 (1.52 %) were anti-HCV-positive and 10 (0.28 %) were borderline positive. HCV RNA was detected in 24 cases (0.67 %). A comparison of the 1997 and 2002 results showed a statistically significant (p < 0.01) increase of anti-HCV-positive specimens. A similar--but not significant--increase was noted in HCV RNA-positive cases. Despite a slightly higher prevalence of HCV infection in females, no statistically significant gender differences were found. Whereas anti-HCV positivity increased slightly with age, most HCV RNA patients were from the middle age group, i.e. between 36 and 45 years of age. The geographic distribution of HCV cases across Slovakia was relatively even. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in subjects representing the general population of Slovakia older than 15 years was 1.52 %; chronic HCV infection was confirmed in 0.67 % of cases.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• Hepacivirus izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky krev   MeSH
• hepatitida C epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• RNA virová analýza   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH
• RNA virová MeSH

BACKGROUND: In 1994 the authors published first results of anti-HCV antibodies in the group of 92 porphyria cutanea tarda patients, tested with ELISA second generation enzymatic method. Positivity, found in 21.7 per cent of them, was significantly higher when compared with the results of healthy blood-donors. Anti-HCV reactivity thus ascertained can be, however, non-specific in some cases and need not necessarily indicate existence of an active replication of hepatitis C-virus. The authors have therefore subsequently tried to verify the above results by the more sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR), enabling the proof of viral RNA and thus an assessment of the replication-activity of HCV. This study completes their previous findings for the evidence of viraemia in anti-HCV reactive PCT-patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: 21 of 92 PCT-patients were reactive when examined with the second generation ELISA method (Sanofi, Pasteur). HCV RNA was examined in 20 subjects from the above group (one patient died in the meantime) by means of PCR. Positive HCV RNA was found in 17 patients, i.e. in 85 percent of them. Percutaneous liver biopsy without visual control was performed in 17 anti-HCV reactive and HCV RNA positive patients and in 46 anti-HCV negative porphyrics. The biopsy-findings were significantly worse in the HCV RNA-positive group. Also the average activity of ALT and AST was significantly higher in the patients with positive HCV RNA when compared with anti HCV-negative subjects. CONCLUSIONS: High frequency of HCV-infection (21.7 percent) was found in our group of 92 PCT-patients. Viraemia was present in the vast majority (85 per cent) of them, for they had also positive HCV RNA besides anti-HCV reactivity. These patients had also higher ALT- and AST-activity and more severe histological liver-changes. HCV-infection is the main virological cause of their liver lesion, beside ethylism. Hepatocellular carcinoma is rather exceptional in our porphyria patients in spite of their frequent HCV-infection.

• MeSH
• chronická nemoc MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ELISA MeSH
• Hepacivirus izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky analýza   MeSH
• hepatitida C komplikace   MeSH
• jaterní porfyrie komplikace   virologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• RNA virová analýza   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• viremie MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH
• RNA virová MeSH

Since the 1990s, blood donors have been scanned for anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) antibodies, which can be defined by enzyme immunoassay as a screening test. In this population, false-reactive ratios have been high. Recently, some authors have aimed to find a cutoff value for anti-HCV different from those established by test manufacturers to predict HCV infection. In this study, 321 patients, after two repeating tests, had reactive results in s/co <10 titers on anti-HCV test. The patients were 29.6 % (n = 95) in women and 70.4 % (n = 226) in men. The patients were classified into three groups by Western blot (WB) results (PS, positive; NG, negative; and ID, indeterminate). The average anti-HCV titer of the whole group was 2.61 ± 1.96. Anti-HCV titers of subgroups were 2.43 ± 1.95 in NG, 4.93 ± 2.53 in PS, and 2.50 ± 1.65 in ID (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference between NG and PS and between PS and ID subgroups (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between WB and anti-HCV titers in all patients (r = 0.298, p < 0.001), in women (r = 0.282, p < 0.001), and in men (r = 0.337, p = 0.002). According to receiver operator characteristic curve analysis, the cutoff value of anti-HCV titer to predict hepatitis C infection was >2.61 s/co, with 74.1 % sensitivity and 71.6 % specificity (area under the curve, 0.820; 95 % confidence interval, 0.753 to 0.887). We suggest that an effective cutoff value for anti-HCV other than that established by the manufacturer cannot be assigned to predict hepatitis C infection for blood donors in low-prevalence areas.

• MeSH
• chronická hepatitida C diagnóza   imunologie   MeSH
• Hepacivirus imunologie   MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky krev   MeSH
• klinické laboratorní techniky metody   normy   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prediktivní hodnota testů MeSH
• senzitivita a specificita MeSH
• western blotting metody   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• hodnotící studie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH

OBJECTIVE: The work assessed the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a representative sample of both male and female sex workers with the aim of assessing sexual transmission of HCV infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the first four months of 2006, a total of 209 (195 females, average age 26, average time of providing sexual services 25 months) sex workers from 29 Moravian clubs were tested for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies by the immunochromatographic assay using a drop of capillary blood. RESULTS: Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 2 female prostitutes (less than 1 %) of whom one reported intravenous drug use in the past suggestive of blood-borne infection rather than sexual transmission. Nearly half of the subjects (44.5 %) admitted intravenous use of drugs, especially crystal speed ("pervitin"). STDs were reported only by less than 3 % of the subjects. CONCLUSIONS: In the Czech Republic, sexual transmission of HCV infection is of minor importance. Drug abuse is very common among sex workers.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky krev   MeSH
• hepatitida C epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• prostituce * MeSH
• séroepidemiologické studie MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH

At the blood transfusion department of the Faculty Hospital in Olomouc in 1992 and 1993 18,293 blood donors were examined and in 70, i.e. 0.38% anti-HCV positivity was found. All positive subjects were subjected to clinical, laboratory and sonographic examination and are checked regularly at the Second Medical Clinic. In none of the patients liver biopsy was performed so far. The clinical, laboratory and sonographic findings provide evidence of liver damage in 15, i.e. 21.4%. In two of them, i.e. in 2.8%, the findings support the diagnosis of chronic active hepatitis; this will be verified by biopsy. The authors consider dispensarization of anti-HCV positive subjects useful. In all examination of RNA HCV however must be made.

• MeSH
• dárci krve * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• Hepacivirus imunologie   MeSH
• hepatitida - protilátky analýza   MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hepatitida - protilátky MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH

BACKGROUND: Vertical hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission and persistence of anti-HCV antibodies were retrospectively investigated since 1999 in a group of 244 children whose mothers had a history of hepatitis C. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Initial examinations performed in most children at 6 months of age included the determination of anti-HCV antibodies, HCV nucleic acid (HCV RNA), and anti-HIV antibodies, with all children being negative for HIV. Further examinations with investigation of anti-HCV and HCV RNA were performed at half-year intervals until the disappearance of anti-HCV antibodies. Vertical HCV transmission was defined by HCV RNA positivity in at least 2 venous blood samples or at least two positive anti-HCV results in a child over 3 years of age. RESULTS: Vertical HCV transmission was detected in 11 out of 244 children (4.5%). Only 2 children spontaneously cleared HCV; positive anti-HCV antibodies were last detected when they were 8 years old. Chronic hepatitis C developed in 9 children, four of whom were infected with genotype 1b, 3 children with genotype 3a, one with genotype 1a, and the last one with genotypes 1a and 4. Antiviral treatment including conventional or pegylated interferon, or ribavirin, was administered to 3 children, with sustained elimination of the virus in 2 children. Although the proportion of children with positive anti-HCV antibodies declined gradually, anti-HCV positivity was reported in 6 uninfected children at 18 months of age but in none of them at the age of 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: Vertical transmission of HCV was found in 11 out of 244 children; chronic hepatitis C was detected in 9 children; uninfected children cleared anti-HCV antibodies by 2 years of age.

• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• Hepacivirus * genetika   MeSH
• hepatitida C - protilátky krev   MeSH
• hepatitida C * epidemiologie   přenos   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• vertikální přenos infekce * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hepatitida C - protilátky MeSH