Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in haemodialysed patients: HCV-RNA and anti-HCV antibodies (third-generation assays).
Samples from 128 haemodialysed patients were tested by anti-HCV 2nd- and 3rd-generation assays from Ortho: 53 were positive by ELISA 2.0 and 54 (42%) by ELISA 3.0. The 54 anti-HCV-positive patients were tested by RIBA-2 and RIBA-3 and by PCR for the detection of HCV-RNA: 46 of the 47 patients (98%) reactive by RIBA-2 and 48 of the 51 patients (94%) reactive by RIBA-3 were HCV-RNA positive. Three patients with RIBA-3 indeterminate results were HCV-RNA negative. Among the 74 anti-HCV negative patients, 29 were tested by PCR with negative results. Two distinct episodes of hepatitis C have been observed in two patients during the follow-up and 44 of the 50 patients (88%) known positive for anti-HCV since at least 1989 were still viraemic in 1993. A very high correlation was found between anti-HCV antibodies reactive by RIBA and the presence of HCV-RNA. A lack of protection after a resolved infection and a high frequency of chronic disease have been observed as well as a reinfection or a reactivation of the infection in two patients.
Couroucé
A M
AM
Institut National de Transfusion Sanguine, Paris, France.
Bouchardeau
F
F
Chauveau
P
P
Le Marrec
N
N
Girault
A
A
Zins
B
B
Naret
C
C
Poignet
J L
JL
D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral