[Non-A, non-B post-transfusion hepatitis. Serological survey of 85 patients with acute hepatitis following blood transfusion].

In a serological survey of 85 adult patients hospitalized for an episode of transfusion-associated hepatitis, 45 were reactive for hepatitis B surface antigen and therefore diagnosed as having hepatitis B. Forty HBsAg non reactive patients were examined for development of antibody to hepatitis A and B antigens, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus. Three patients showed serologic evidence of hepatitis B and one for hepatitis A. None of the remaining 36 subjects developed serologic evidence of acute infection with the viruses tested during the study period, so that they were classified as having so-called NANB hepatitis. As reported in other studies, analysis of the incubation period showed that two subgroups of NANB hepatitis may be identified with short and long incubation period, so that it appears likely that at least two agents are implicated in NANB hepatitis. Our data confirm that also in our area a large proportion of transfusion-associated hepatitis is related to NANB agent(s) requiring additional measures for its prevention.