45-Year Follow-up of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Healthy Young Adults

摘要: Background: The sequelae during the first two decades after acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have been well studied, but outcome thereafter is unknown. Objective: To conduct an extended study of natural history HCV by using archived serum specimens originally collected between 1948 and 1954. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: A university, a Veterans Affairs medical center, follow-up agency that had access to accompanying demographic records. Participants: 8568 military recruits who were evaluated for group streptococcal rheumatic fever Blood samples taken from and, testing, stored frozen almost 45 years. Measurements: presence antibodies was determined enzyme-linked immunoassay, supplementary recombinant immunoblot assay, polymerase chain reaction RNA. Morbidity mortality also assessed. Results: Of persons, 17 (0.2%) positive results on immunosorbent assay assay. rate 1.8% among African-American persons 0.1% white in total sample (relative risk, 25.9 [95% CI, 8.4 80.0]). During 45-year follow-up, liver disease occurred 2 HCV-positive (11.8%) 205 8551 HCV-negative (2.4%) (ethnicity-adjusted relative 3.56 [Cl, 0.94 13.52]). Seven (41%) 2226 (26%) died December 1996 1.48 0.8 2.6]). HCV-positive, 1 (5.9%) 42 years original phlebotomy, 5 (29%) non-liver-related median 37 unknown causes. One hundred nineteen (1.4%) disease. Conclusions: 1954 parallels present-day volunteer blood donors. low liver-related morbidity rates. This suggests healthy may be at less risk progressive than currently thought.