HGV/GB virus C transmission by blood components in patients undergoing open-heart surgery

BACKGROUND: To establish the rate of HGV/GB virus C (GBV-C) transmission by blood components in open-heart surgery patients. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: From 55 patients receiving blood components, sera were collected before and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 26, and 32 weeks after heart surgery. Serum samples from patients and implicated blood donations were tested for HGV/GBV-C RNA by PCR. Recipients of RNA-positive blood components were also tested for the presence of E2 antibodies (E2Ab) by ELISA. RESULTS: Of 55 recipients, 18 received RNA-positive blood components. Of 14 recipients of RNA-positive blood components, who were negative for RNA or E2Ab before transfusion, 8 became RNA positive and one developed E2Ab after transfusion. Three recipients of RNA-positive blood components had E2Ab before transfusion, and none of these became RNA positive after transfusion. One of 18 recipients was RNA positive before and after transfusion. Of 55 recipients, 37 received RNA-negative blood components: 34 were RNA negative before and after transfusion. Of 37 recipients, 3 were RNA positive before and after transfusion. CONCLUSION: Of susceptible patients, 64 percent became infected with HGV/GVC-C when transfused with RNA-positive blood components. E2Ab-positive patients were protected against HGV/GBV-C infectio

Performance of the New Bayer VERSANT HCV RNA 3.0 Assay for Quantitation of Hepatitis C Virus RNA in Plasma and Serum: Conversion to International Units and Comparison with the Roche COBAS Amplicor HCV Monitor, Version 2.0, Assay

We have evaluated the VERSANT HCV RNA 3.0. Assay (HCV 3.0 bDNA assay) (Bayer Diagnostics, Berkeley, Calif.), which is an improved signal amplification procedure for the HCV 2.0 bDNA assay for the quantitation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in serum or plasma of HCV-infected individuals. The HCV 3.0 bDNA assay has a linear dynamic range of 2.5 × 10(3) to 4.0 × 10(7) HCV RNA copies per ml (c/ml). The performance of the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay was evaluated using three different test panels. An overall specificity of 96.8% relative to the detection limit of the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay was found. The intra- and interrun reproducibilities for both the dilution panel and the NAP (AcroMetrix, Benicia, Calif.) panel were consistent with coefficients of variation of less than 9%. Quantitation with the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay was linear over the entire range of both panels (ranges of 4.4 × 10(3) to 3.5 × 10(6) c/ml and 5 × 10(3) to 2 × 10(6) IU/ml, respectively), with correlation coefficients of 0.999, slopes close to one, and intercepts close to zero. The regression equation indicated that 1 IU corresponded to about 4.8 copies of HCV RNA. A correlation coefficient of 0.941 was found for HCV RNA values (in international units per milliliter) obtained from the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay and the HCV Monitor version 2.0 assay (HCV Monitor 2.0 assay) (Roche Diagnostic Systems, Branchburg, N.J.). Quantitative results obtained close to the lower limit of the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay might imply that its lower limit should be reconsidered and raised, if necessary. It appeared that quantitation values obtained from the HCV Monitor 2.0 assay of between 5 × 10(2) and 10(5) IU/ml were in general higher than those obtained from the HCV 3.0 bDNA assay, whereas values obtained from the HCV Monitor 2.0 assay were underestimated for samples with HCV RNA levels above 10(5) IU/ml

Detection and Quantitation of Hepatitis C Virus RNA in Feces of Chronically Infected Individuals

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA was detected and quantified in human fecal specimens with the Roche COBAS AMPLICOR system adapted by us for fecal specimens. HCV RNA could be detected in the feces of four of six (67%) patients chronically infected with HCV, with loads up to about 2.8 × 10(5) copies/ml of feces. The same HCV genotypes were observed in feces and plasma as determined by direct sequencing of the 5′ untranslated region