Prevalence and incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in hemodialysis patients: study of risk factors.
The prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) was assessed in 246 hemodialysis patients who attended a dialysis unit in Bari, using a recombinant enzyme immunoassay test (Abbot Lab.). Fifty-six (22.8%) sera were reactive to anti-HCV. The reactivity was confirmed in 46 specimens (18.7%) using the Abbott EIA HCV neutralization test. The anti-HCV prevalence was higher in males than in females and increased with age, duration of dialysis and number of transfusions. Moreover, a correlation between the presence of anti-HCV and the persistent increase of ALT was noted. The HCV-infection attack rate was calculated using the frozen sera collected from 1984 to 1990: the incidence of infection in the first year was 6.1%, and in following years 4.6%, 4.9%, 3.1%, 2.1% and 2.2%, respectively.
Dentico
P
P
Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University of Bari, Italy.
Buongiorno
R
R
Volpe
A
A
Carlone
A
A
Carbone
M
M
Manno
C
C
Proscia
F
F
Pastore
G
G
Schiraldi
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005260:Female; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D000410:Alanine Transaminase