HEPATITIS-C VIRUS GENOTYPES AMONG BLOOD-DONORS AND THEIR RECIPIENTS IN ICELAND DETERMINED BY THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

Eight antibody-positive individuals were detected among 12,000 blood d onations during the first year of screening blood donors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in Iceland. All 8 were found to have a histo ry of intravenous drug abuse. Six of these 8 individuals had previousl y donated blood to 27 patients who could be traced and examined for HC V infection. The great majority (23/27, 85%) of the recipients had dem onstrable HCV antibodies. Furthermore, RNA analysis with the polymeras e chain reaction showed that all patients with HCV antibodies had HCV RNA in their serum and in one hemodialysis patient without HCV antibod ies viral RNA could be demonstrated. Genotyping of the HCV strains sho wed that the genotype of the donor was also identified in all but one of the infected recipients of his/her blood or blood products. This st udy, therefore, substantiates high infectivity of the HCV by blood or blood factor donation and shows that viremic HCV antibody-negative ind ividuals exist.