[The efficacy of excluding anti-HVC-positive donors by ELISA 2 in the prevention of posttransfusion hepatitis].

To assess the efficacy of blood donor screening with a second generation ELISA for the detection of anti HCV the incidence of post transfusion hepatitis was prospectively determined in 190 patients submitted to cardiovascular surgery. An increase greater than 100 U/l of transaminases of serum activity was detected in five patients (2.6%), being found in four patients at 3 months of the transfusion and in one patient at 6 months. Serologic markers for HAV, HBV, HCV, CMV and EBV were not identified in any of these cases of post transfusion hepatitis and it is therefore assumed that they may have been caused by an, as yet unidentified, agent. It is concluded that second generation ELISA screening for anti HCV is very effective in the prevention of post transfusion hepatitis C.