Hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialyzed patients detected by first and second generation assays.
A prospective study of liver disease has been conducted among patients entering our Dialysis Unit between 1987 and 1990. On entry, 7 patients had a history of blood transfusions but none had clinical or biochemical features of liver disease. During follow-up, 13 further patients were transfused; 1 case developed acute resolving hepatitis B and another acute non-A, non-B hepatitis progressing to chronicity. Eleven other cases showed transient or fluctuating ALT abnormalities. On entry, anti-HCV was negative by both 1st and 2nd generation ELISA assays (Ortho-Diagnostic Systems) in all cases. During follow-up, a positive reaction was detected in 17 cases: 4 patients were positive by both assays and 13 only by 2nd generation test (p less than 0.01). HCV was implicated in 66% of cases with liver disease of the non-A, non-B type and in 50% of transfused as compared to 23% of nontransfused cases (p = n.s.). These findings suggest that HCV could play a major etiological role in liver disease of hemodialysis patients and that anti-C100 reactivity is more affected by immunosuppression associated with chronic uremia.
Ruffatti
A
A
Nephrology Department, Padua Hospital, Italy.
Bortolotti
F
F
Bianco
A
A
Pizzulli
N
N
Cavalletto
D
D
Alberti
A
A
Romagnoli
G F
GF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D000410:Alanine Transaminase