[Serum antibodies to hepatitis C virus: analysis of risk factors of seropositivity in a population of blood donors in metropolitan France].

Risk factors were analyzed in a group of 117 blood donors seropositive for hepatitis C virus antibody. One risk factor, at least, was found in 63 (53.8%) subjects. Frequently encountered risk factors were 1) travels in developing countries (31/117); 2) blood transfusions (20/117); 3) health care works (10/117); 4) intravenous drug addiction (8/117); 5) homosexual or multiple heterosexual contacts (3/67). Our study emphasizes the high percutaneous transmission of hepatitis C in contrast with the low sexual transmission. No risk factor could be found in 54 (46.2%) of the 117 seropositive subjects: the route of transmission in these cases is an intriguing issue which certainly deserves further epidemiological investigations.