title: Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in HBsAg negative hemodialysis patients.
abstract: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was estimated in a 14-month study using anti-C100-3 antibody assay in 31 HBsAg negative patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) for > or = 3 months. One and three patients respectively had ALT elevation and anti-HCV positivity at entry. During MHD (mean period of follow up 9.9 mo), 11 (35.5%) patients had, on fortnightly estimation, ALT elevation which lasted for < or = 6 months in seven patients and for > 6 months in four. Fourteen (45.2%) patients had anti-HCV (including the three positive at entry). There was no significant difference in frequency of anti-HCV positivity in patients with normal and elevated ALT (57.1% and 42.9% respectively). The number of blood transfusions and duration of MHD were similar in anti-HCV positive and anti-HCV negative patients. We conclude that our MHD patients have a high frequency of hepatitis and anti-HCV positivity, and these may not be related to blood transfusions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow.
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Salunkhe
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Naik
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Semwal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naik
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; C078224:anti-C100-3