title: Anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies and hepatitis C virus viraemia in haemodialysis patients.
abstract: Sera from 82 haemodialysis patients were tested for anti-HCV, HCV-RNA, and HBsAg. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity was monitored weekly for 2 months. Anti-HCV was positive in 31 patients (37.8%), showing different single-peptide patterns. HCV-RNA was detected in 26 anti-HCV-positive patients (84%) and also in two of 21 anti-HCV-negative patients. Twenty-seven (87%) of the 31 anti-HCV-positive patients had persistently normal ALT values; 22 of these patients were HCV-RNA positive. The four patients with elevated ALT values had HCV viraemia. HBsAg was positive in nine anti-HCV-negative patients. The close correlation between HCV viraemia and HCV status, independently of ALT values, requires that anti-HCV dialysis patients must be considered potentially infective and dialysed with reserved machines and/or in separate shifts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picciotto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varagona
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gurreri
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiorini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sofia
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Coviello
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonanni
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Icardi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Celle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014766:Viremia / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase