title: High prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in three haemodialysis centres in south-western Poland.
abstract: We assessed the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) antibodies and markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients of three haemodialysis centres before initiating anti-HBV vaccinations. Of the 94 patients, 39 (41.5%) were anti-HCV positive (+) and 81 (86.2%) were anti-hepatitis B core antigen (HBc) positive. There was a high rate of anti-HBc positivity among anti-HCV (+) patients (92.3%), although the presence of anti-HCV and anti-HBc antibodies were not significantly related to each other. Multiple blood transfusions (> 5 units) was a risk factor for development of HCV infection (P < 0.02), while none of our patients admitted intravenous drug abuse. Although 53.8% of anti-HCV (+) patients have had moderate serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations during the study period, none has had considerable liver disease, nor did the increased ALT correlate with the presence of anti-HCV. Only two of 17 staff members participating in the survey were anti-HCV (+), though almost every one gave a history of accidental needlestick exposure. All the study subjects were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative. Our results, obtained with the second-generation, highly specific enzyme immunoassay and verified by the immunoblot assay for anti-HCV antibodies, support a recent suggestion that earlier reports might have underestimated the true prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in haemodialysis patients.
authors.affiliation: Wrocław Academy of Medicine, Department of Nephrology, Poland.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hruby
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sliwiński
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Molin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zalewska
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Knysz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Czyz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steciwko
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bogucki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gładysz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006436:Hemodialysis Units, Hospital; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D000410:Alanine Transaminase