[Prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti HCV) in different populations with chronic liver disease using the first generation test].

UNLABELLED: In order to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies IgG against the virus of hepatitis C (anti HCV) in different forms of chronic liver disease negative for virus B markers of alcoholism, we studied 148 patients (pts) divided into several groups. Group I: Composed of 35 pts. with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) with definite evidence of parenteral exposure to blood. Group II: included 39 pts. with CAH without immune markers or evidence of possible parenteral transmission. Group III: Included 37 pts. with the diagnosis of CAH of autoimmune type with positivity of antinuclear, anti smooth muscle or both antibodies with range of positivity of 1:80 or higher. Group IV: was composed of 31 pts. with the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Finally group V included 6 pts. with an overlap syndrome between CAH and PBC. The prevalence of anti HCV in the different groups was as follows: [table: see text] Two of the pts. positive for anti HCV in group III and 1 in group IV revealed parenteral exposure to blood or blood product.

CONCLUSIONS: The determinations of anti HCV in order to characterize the posttransfusional NANB chronic hepatitis is of value. Positivity of anti HCV is high in cryptogenic chronic hepatitis and rare in PBC. In CAH of autoimmune type and in the overlap syndrome the prevalence was higher than expected. The question if we are dealing with false positivity or an uncertain diagnosis of autoimmunity is raised.