Occult Hepatitis C Virus in Blood Donors in Damietta - Egypt

Egypt maintains the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection, affecting an estimated 15%–20% of the population, new cases reported, so we search about uncommon source of hepatitis C virus infection. Occult hepatitis C Virus infection can be detected and founded in the overall public obviously haven’t any diseases, Detection of viral replication in PBMCs may increase spread and transmission of hepatitis C virus during blood transfusion, hemodialysis, and made liver disease development in occult Hepatitis C Virus infected individual. The present study aimed to detect the occult hepatitis C virus infection in healthy blood donors from Damietta-Egypt, And detection of Hepatitis C Virus core antigen. One hundred and fifty blood donors from El-Azhar University Hospital blood bank in New Damietta City were used into the present study. Detection of Hepatitis C Virus RNA in Peripheral blood mononuclear (PBMCs) and plasma by reverse transcription nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and also detection of hepatitis C virus core antigen from plasma by ELISA. We founded that: Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA by nested PCR from PBMC among studied donors are eleven (7.9%) on the other hand Hepatitis C Virus RNA in plasma are two (1.4%) so occult C virus are 9/140 (6.4%). By comparison between results of Hepatitis C Virus core Ag and PCR evidence sensitivity 27%, specificity 98.4% in PBMC and sensitivity 100%, specificity 97.8% in Plasma.