Antibody to Hepatitis G Mrus after a Vapour-Heated Factor Vlll Goncentrate

Summary

To evaluate whether or not clotting factor concentrates exposed to virucidal procedures transmitted hepatitis C, sera obtained in 1984–1986 from 27 previously untreated hemophiliacs infused with a vapour-heated factor VIII concentrate were tested retrospectively for the antibody to the hepatitis C virus (anti- HCV). A 2-year-old hemophiliac, negative for anti-HCV before administration of concentrate, seroconverted at week 12 and remained anti-HCV positive thereafter. Both his parents were anti-HCV negative and he had no other household contact. The patient had also become HBsAg positive at week 8 and had at the same time a marked elevation of alanine aminotransferase. His double infection with the hepatitis B and C viruses indicates that hot vapour was not completely effective in inactivating these viruses.

• References

• 1 Mannucci PM, Colombo M. Virucidal treatment of clotting factor concentrates. Lancet 1988; 2: 782-786
• 2 Brettler DB, Levine PH. Factor concentrates for treatment of hemophilia: which one to choose. Blood 1989; 73: 2067-2073
• 3 Schimpf K, Mannucci PM, Kreuz W, Brackmann HH, Auerswald G, Ciavarella N, Mosseler J, De RosaV, Krause B, Brueckmann GH, Mancuso G, Mittler U, Haschke F, Morfini M. Absence of hepatitis after treatment with a pasteurized factor VIII concentrate in patients with hemophilia and no previous transfusions. N Engl J Med 1987; 316: 918-922
• 4 Mannucci PM, Colombo M. Revision of the protocol recommended for studies of safety from hepatitis of clotting factor concentrates. Thromb Haemostas 1989; 61: 532-534
• 5 Kasper CK, Kipnis SA. Hepatitis and clotting factor concentrates. JAMA 1972; 221: 510 (Letter)
• 6 Fletcher ML, Trowell JM, Craske J, Pavier K, Rizza CR. Non-A, non-B hepatitis after transfusion of factor VIII in infrequently treated patients. Br Med J 1983; 287: 1754-1757
• 7 Kernoff P BA, Lee CA, Karayiannis P, Thomas HC. High risk of non-A, non-B hepatitis after a first exposure to volunteer or commercial clotting factor concentrates: effects of prophylactic immune serum globulins. Br J Haematol 1985; 60: 469-479
• 8 Choo QL, Kuo G, Weiner AJ, Overby LR, Bradley DW, Houghton M. Isolation of a cDNA clone derived from a blood-borne non-A, non-B viral hepatitis genome. Science 1989; 244: 359-362
• 9 Kuo G, Choo QL, Alter HJ, Gitnick GL, Redeker AG, Purcell RH, Miyamura T, Dienstag JL, Alter MJ, Stevens CE, Tegtmeier GE, Bonino F, Colombo M, Lee WS, Kuo C, Berger K, Shuster JR, Overby LR, Bradley DW, Houghton M. An assay for circulating antibodies to a major etiologic virus of human non-A, non-B hepatitis. Science 1989; 244: 362-364
• 10 Mannucci PM, Zanetti A. Colombo M and the Study Group of the Fondazione dell’Emofilia. Prospective study of hepatitis after factor VIII concentrates exposed to hot vapour. Br J Haematol 1988; 68: 427-430
• 11 Alter HJ, Purcell RH, Shit JW, Melpolder JC, Houghton M, Choo QL, Kuo G. Detection of an antibody to hepatitis C virus in prospectively followed transfusion recipients with acute and chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. N Engl J Med 1989; 321: 1494-1500
• 12 Sirchia G, Bellobuono A, Giovanetti A, Marconi A. Antibodies to hepatitis C virus in Italian blood donors. Lancet 1989; 1: 797