Effect of dry-heating of coagulation factor concentrates at 80 degrees C for 72 hours on transmission of non-A, non-B hepatitis. Study Group of the UK Haemophilia Centre Directors on Surveillance of Virus Transmission by Concentrates.

32 patients with coagulation factor deficiencies and likely to be susceptible to non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH) virus infection were treated with a total of 20 batches of a factor VIII concentrate and 10 batches of a factor IX concentrate, both heated at 80 degrees C for 72 h in the freeze-dried state. Serial measurements of serum aminotransferase levels for 4 months revealed no patterns of rises attributable to NANBH. Severe dry heating appears to have reduced the risk of NANBH transmission from about 90% in untreated concentrates to a statistically determined rate of 0-9%. No evidence was found in recipients of infection with hepatitis B or human immunodeficiency virus.