ANTI-HAV PREVALENCE IN A UK URBAN BLOOD-DONOR POPULATION AND THE EFFECT ON HUMAN NORMAL IG PROVISION

U.K. blood donors (873) were tested for anti-HAV and 21% were found to be positive, with no obvious difference between the sexes. The positi vity increased with age; 21% of donors between the ages of 30 and 50 y ears were positive compared with 3% of donors less than 25 years of ag e; in 1977, the rates were 47 and 10%, respectively. Older donors gene rally had lower titres of anti-HAV which suggests that such donors wer e infected at an early age. Subsequent improvements in hygiene may hav e resulted in decreased anti-HAV prevalence in young people. Titres of anti-HAV were determined for the four donors who gave a history of ja undice and were seropositive: all four had high anti-HAV levels. Plasm a from donors with a history of jaundice may therefore provide a cost- effective source for enhancing the potency of human normal Ig.