Hepatitis C is spread (transmitted) efficiently through the blood. Therefore, hepatitis C virus is transmitted through infected blood, transplantation of infected solid organs (and the sharing of contaminated needles among intravenous drug users. In retrospect, hepatitis C virus was the most common reasons of hepatitis C that resulted from blood transfusions in the 1980's. At that time, hepatitis C virus had not been signified and post-transfusion cases of hepatitis were called non-A non-B and C hepatitis.In the first 1980's, the risk of spread hepatitis C virus from a blood transfusion was as high as 17%. In the mid 1980's, when the practice of using commercial (paid) donors was stopped and blood was screened for the human virus (HIV), the risk of post-transfusion hepatitis fell to about 6%. This risk was then cut in half when blood was screened with the substitute (markers, elevated alanine e (ALT, the liver enzyme), and hepatitis B core antibodies. Finally, the isolation of hepatitis C virus and the development of a screening test for hepatitis C virus dramatically lowered the risk of acquiring hepatitis C virus infection by blood transfusions
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
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