JOURNAL OF PRACTICAL HEPATOLOGY ›› 2015, Vol. 18 ›› Issue (1): 109-112.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-5069.2015.01.031

• Orignal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Screening tests for hepatitis C virus infection in blood donors: does it safe or not?

Zhang Jiajuan, Li Ping   

  1. Department of Physical examination and Blood Branch,Blood Center,Red Cross,Nanjing 210003,China
  • Received:2014-05-23 Online:2015-12-17 Published:2015-12-17

Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that is about 9.6 kb. Its open reading frames encoding structural proteins and non-structural proteins. HCV infection is approximately 3% worldwide. It is one of the most serious infection diseases that threaten human health. Screening tests in blood donors is the most effective means to prevent the communication of HCV. The current methods for screening tests include detection of HCV antigen,anti-HCV antibody,HCV antigen-antibody complex,and HCV genes. Antigen detection is the initial screening test and it detects seroconversion after a long infectious window period. The detection of HCV core antigen might shorten the window period and has a high sensitivity,but interference by immunoglobulins in vivo influence its widespread uses. Rapid tests is simple to perform,but its sensitivity is low. Molecular testing for HCV RNA utilizing nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT) is the most sensitive assay and can shorten the window period,while the costs is very expensive. Each screening tests for HCV infection has its advantages and disadvantages. Currently,the blood centers are using at least two different reagents to detect HCV antibodies for blood screening.

Key words: Hepatitis C virus, Post-transfusion hepatitis, nucleic acid amplification technology, Blood donors