PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-C VIRUS MARKERS IN SRI-LANKAN PATIENTS WITH ALCOHOLIC CIRRHOSIS

A high prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) has be en reported in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. There are, however, doubts regarding the specificity of the first generation anti-HCV anti body assays used. We prospectively investigated HCV status in 47 Sri L ankan patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. A first generation assay (Ort ho HCV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) and two second gener ation tests (Abbott HCV enzyme immunoassay and United Biomedical Incor porated HCV enzyme immunoassay) were used. Positive results were confi rmed by the second generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA 2). O f the 47 patients (46 males, mean age 41.7 years), 17 (36.2%) had prev iously had one or more blood or plasma transfusions. Seven (14.9%) of the samples were positive for anti-HCV antibodies using the Ortho-HCV ELISA, but only one (2.1%) sample was positive when tested with the se cond generation assays. The positive result was confirmed by RIBA 2. T he prevalence of HCV in the patients was low despite many of them bein g exposed to blood or blood products. Hepatitis C virus, therefore, ma y not be an important pathogenic factor in alcoholic cirrhosis in Sri Lanka.