biostudies-literatureUnknown208(6)Heller T<h4>Background</h4>T-cell responses have been described in seronegative patients who test negative for hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA despite frequent HCV exposure. However, the cross-sectional design of those studies did not clarify whether T cells were indeed induced by low-level HCV exposure without seroconversion or whether they resulted from regular acute infection with subsequent antibody loss.<h4>Methods</h4>Over a 10-year period, our longitudinal study recruited 72 healthcare workers with documented HCV exposure. We studied viremia and antibody and T-cell responses longitudinally for 6 months.<h4>Results</h4>All healthcare workers remained negative for HCV RNA and antibodies. However, 48% developed proliferative T-cell response and 42% developed responses in interferon-gamma enzyme-liThe Journal of infectious diseases1020-5https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3749009biostudies-literatureOccupational exposure to hepatitis C virus: early T-cell responses in the absence of seroconversion in a longitudinal cohort study.PMC3749009Sherker AHRahman FGordon AMBean KSMizukoshi EHeller THerrine SKStevens MKessler ESobao YSchmitt JRehermann BWerner JMSheets AfalseOccupational exposure to hepatitis C virus: early T-cell responses in the absence of seroconversion in a longitudinal cohort study.<h4>Background</h4>T-cell responses have been described in seronegative patients who test negative for hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA despite frequent HCV exposure. However, the cross-sectional design of those studies did not clarify whether T cells were indeed induced by low-level HCV exposure without seroconversion or whether they resulted from regular acute infection with subsequent antibody loss.<h4>Methods</h4>Over a 10-year period, our longitudinal study recruited 72 healthcare workers with documented HCV exposure. We studied viremia and antibody and T-cell responses longitudinally for 6 months.<h4>Results</h4>All healthcare workers remained negative for HCV RNA and antibodies. However, 48% developed proliferative T-cell response and 42% developed responses in interferon-gamma enzyme-li2013-01-01T00:00:00Z2013 Sep2025-04-22T16:30:54.79Z2019-03-27T01:14:48ZS-EPMC37490092380160810.1093/infdis/jit270