http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/pharm-policy/2000-October/000385.html
Apparently it was recognized as such as early as 1977, but I'm not sure when they developed a test for screening blood donations. Late '80s, early '90s ?
My old gastro was still resisting calling it 'C' as late as 1992, but I'm not sure why.
I believe the blood supply has been screened for Hep C since 1993.
Non A non B was a term used when liver panel tests indicated a viral infection but it wasn't A or B. The screen was developed in the late 80s that identified HCV.
I donated blood back in 86 and got a letter from the blood bank that I tested positive for non a non b.
There was no screen for non A non B so there was no positive result. They called it that because they did not know what it was. They used the liver panel tests to determine something was wrong and made a probability decision that it was a virus.
Don't have the dates handy, but the geneology of my HCV was as follows.
First diagnosis (acute stage) in 1969 -- Hepatitis
Several months later -- Chronic Persistent Hepatitis
Some years later -- Non A- Non B Hepatitis
Finally -- Hepatitis C
Current -- Zipo
1984-1986- High Liver Enzymes- Diagnosed by hepatologist and infectious disease doctor as: Acute something.- Very ill.- Went thru hell for quite sometime.
Had biopsy 1985- SHowed inflammation.
Doctor said to me " Hope this isnt Non a Non B Hepatitis.
1985-Diagnosed chronic persistant hepatitis.
1992-Diagnosed Hepatitis C.
11-07- Treating now.
Stage 2 Grade 2
However they determined I probally had non a non b I still got the letter from the blood bank. They told me I could no longer donate blood and I should go see a doctor. It was a long time ago.
Thanks for the info!!!!!!!!
I think the med syst discovered nonA nonB (hepC) in the early 80s here in OZ when they started really informing the public and screaning blood for HIV.
In 83 I went for a HIV test they had only just started telling people how important it was to be screened for it at that time I thought I'd cheak as it sounded scarry and I'd done some dumb things in my teenage years.
My doc said the test picked up no HIV but hep non A non B and he didn't know exactly know why but probably from sharing needles with people infected in the 70's.
He did say he thought I must of been infected with hepA and B been a little sick at the time, fought it off and built anti bodies to it and couldn't get it again.He said I was lucky I'd avoided HIV and built up a natural anti bodies against hep
oops slightly wrong there. (O:
My exhusband was told he had non-a non-b in about 1985 when he got it. At that time they hadn't yet figured out it was C I was always told. But if you remember they just were admitting to AIDS at that time so...........not much was known overall about blood borne disaese is my guess.
He got it from a man who had HIV at the time and later died - however my husband DID get the hepC but NOT the HIV. Go figure. It was easy for him to determine the exact timing of his getting it because he symptomatic.
Unlike me who never had a clue and probably had it at about the same time he did although we did not know each other yet.
I don't still understand how he got the C but not the HIV but thank GOD in heaven is all I can say for myself and my kids.