Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus in hemodialysis patients.
The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients in Japan was examined using sera from 418 patients from six dialysis units in 1989. The authors made use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ortho Diagnostics). Antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) was detected in 127 patients (30.4%), the frequency varying from 20.0% to 34.9% in different units. The mean prevalence of anti-HCV was 20 times higher than that in blood donors. Anti-HCV positivity was not associated with antibody to hepatitis B core antigen, which was not a surrogate marker for non-A, non-B hepatitis agents in this study. Another striking finding of this study was that 84.3% of the anti-HCV-positive patients had normal liver function. Anti-HCV positivity correlated positively with the number of blood transfusions and increased with the duration of hemodialysis; however, it was 22.1% even in 113 patients never given blood transfusion. Acquisition of hepatitis C virus by dialysis patients is, therefore, not only through blood transfusions but also because of hepatitis C virus present within the unit itself. Liver dysfunction in the anti-HCV-positive patients was rare.
Hayashi
J
J
Department of General Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
Nakashima
K
K
Kajiyama
W
W
Noguchi
A
A
Morofuji
M
M
Maeda
Y
Y
Kashiwagi
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013997:Time Factors
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D000410:Alanine Transaminase