BLOOD SCREENING FOR NON‐A, NON‐B HEPATITIS BY HEPATITIS C VIRUS ANTIBODY ASSAY

Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody was detected in 1499 donor sera by radioimmunoassay using an antigen expressed in yeast from a cDNA clone of the HCV genome. Eighteen samples over 4200 counts per minute (cpm) were considered to contain infectious HCV because these recipients developed typical posttransfusion non‐A,non‐B hepatitis after transfusion. The antibody‐positive sera were all within the normal range of ALT levels. This assay system is thus useful for the screening for blood transfusion.