A second outbreak of hepatitis C virus infection from anti-D immunoglobulin in Ireland

Objective: To investigate the infectivity for hepatitis C virus (HCV) of in travenous anti-D immunoglobulin batches manufactured in Ireland between 199 1 and 1994. Methods: Women who had received anti-D manufactured between 199 1 and 1994 were screened for serological markers of HCV infection and for t he presence of HCV RNA by RT-PCR amplification and virus genotyping, Result s: 44 women exposed to anti-D manufactured between 1991 and 1994 were polym erase chain reaction positive for HCV RNA, 19 of whom were infected with ge notype 3a virus shown by phylogenetic analysis of the NS5B gene to be close ly related to that from the single implicated donor. Conclusions: Anti-D ma nufactured in 1991-1994 transmitted infection of HCV genotype 3a. The preva lence of HCV-specific antibody in anti-D recipients was relatively low (0.5 9%), consistent with the low level of virus RNA in these anti-D batches.