SEROPREVALENCE OF TOTAL ANTIBODIES TO HEPATITIS-A VIRUS IN HEMOPHILIACS IN THE WEST OF SCOTLAND

Serum samples taken from 73 patients with haemophilia A were tested for the presence of total antibody against hepatitis A (antiHAV) by radioimmunoassay. 29 (39.7%) were antiHAV positive and 44 (60.3%) were antiHAV negative. These figures are comparable with local prevalence figures for immunity (40.3%) and susceptibility (59.7%) to HAV in adults. 30 patients were subsequently exposed to Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service High-Purity Factor VIII (SNBTS HPVIII). They were re-tested for the presence of antiHAV at a median of 5 months after exposure. Of these, 25 (83.3%) were antiHAV negative (16.7%) were antiHAV positive. All five antiHAV-positive patients were positive on samples taken prior to exposure. No cases of seroconversion to hepatitis A occurred.