Non-B Post-Transfusion Hepatitis with Hepatitis B Core Antibodies in Donor Blood

Abstract

To the Editor: In the March 25 issue the letter of Vyas and Perkins reports on the apparent association between donor blood positive for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and non-A,non-B post-transfusion hepatitis in four of six recipients of such blood. ¹ Stressing that the prevalence of anti-HBc in voluntary blood donors in San Francisco is 4 per cent, they suggest that testing of donor blood for anti-HBc merits a careful evaluation as a means of reducing both non-A,non-B and Type B post-transfusion hepatitis.The prevalence of anti-HBc in our donor population (all volunteers) is 2.4 per cent. In a prospective . . .