title: Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients: a longitudinal study comparing the results of RNA and antibody assays.
abstract: We longitudinally studied 51 patients from two hemodialysis centers to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients. Serum samples were tested for antibody to HCV by first- and second-generation enzyme immunoassays and for hepatitis C virus RNA by nested polymerase chain reaction assay. Antibody to hepatitis C virus was detected in the initial serum samples by first-generation enzyme immunoassay and second-generation enzyme immunoassay in 6 (11.8%) and 11 (21.6%) patients, respectively. First-generation enzyme immunoassay had a false-positive rate of 33.3% and a false-negative rate of 63.6%. Hepatitis C virus RNA was found in eight second-generation enzyme immunoassay-positive patients (72.7%) and in one patient negative for antibody to hepatitis C virus (2.5%) giving an overall positivity rate of 17.6%. After 19 mo, antibody to hepatitis C virus was detected in 15 patients (29.4%) on second-generation enzyme immunoassay; hepatitis C virus RNA was found in 13 patients (25.5%). Hepatitis C virus markers persisted in all 12 patients with initial evidence of hepatitis C virus infection. Three patients acquired hepatitis C virus infection during the interim, giving a new infection rate of 4.9% per patient-year. Antibody to hepatitis C virus, hepatitis C virus RNA or both was detected in 55.6% of patients with biochemical changes suggestive of non-A, non-B hepatitis. Of the 15 antibody to hepatitis C virus, second-generation enzyme immunoassay-positive patients, 66.7% had persistently normal serum transaminase levels. In summary, hepatitis C virus infection is common among hemodialysis patients. First-generation enzyme immunoassay is an unreliable assay for antibody to hepatitis C virus in these patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lok
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase