Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening in patients who may have been treated with unheated coagulation factor preparations.

Under the guidance of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, screening tests for viral hepatitis (HCV antibody: HCV-Ab and HBs antigen: HBs-Ag) were carried out at Kurume University Hospital during the period from April 2001 to July 2001 for patients who were suspected of having been administered unheated coagulation factor preparations contaminated with hepatitis viruses. One-hundred and five patients who had been treated at Kurume University Hospital or other medical facilities (31 males and 74 females), ranging from 10 to 74 years of age, visited the Outpatient Department to have the examinations. Thirteen of 105 patients (12.4%) were HCV-Ab-positive, 6 (5.7%) were in the HCV-Ab gray zone and 1 (1%) was HBs-Ag-positive. Ten of 105 patients (9.5%) showed both HCV-Ab- and HCV-RNA-positive results. To confirm the histories of administration of unheated coagulation factor preparations or blood transfusion, we attempted to examine the medical records of 72 patients who had been treated in Kurume University Hospital. Records of 19 patients could be examined. Among these, however, we found no records showing administration of unheated coagulation factor preparations. Fifteen patients were transfused with blood components, six (33.3%) of whom were HCV-Ab-positive. These results suggest that testing for viral hepatitis in patients who have been transfused with blood components may positively impact their quality of life.