title: HCV viremia in hemodialysis patients: detection by a DNA enzyme immunoassay for amplified HCV sequences.
abstract: The aim of this study was the detection of HCV viremia in both anti-HCV antibody positive and negative hemodialysis patients. Sera from 75 patients on extracorporeal blood purification in the same dialysis unit were analyzed. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected using a 2nd-generation ELISA assay and in all positive cases a RIBA 3rd-generation test was performed. HCV-RNA was tested by a reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay with primers located in the 5' region. PCR products were analyzed by a nonradioactive hybridation assay. The presence of anti-HCV antibodies was detected in 30 (40%) patients by means of ELISA II test; 28 of them were RIBA III positive and two indeterminate. Twenty-four of the 30 HCV Ab ELISA II positive patients (80%) were HCV-RNA positive (23 RIBA III positive and 1 indeterminate). Six anti-HCV Ab ELISA II positive patients tested negative for HCV-RNA (20%); 5 of these patients were also positive for anti-HCV antibodies with a RIBA III test and 1 was indeterminate. None of the anti-HCV negative patients was HCR-RNA positive. In two cases we documented the disappearance of viremia after an acute HCV infection, with the persistence of antibody reactivity. In conclusion, anti-HCV antibody positive hemodialysis patients should be considered as potentially infectious.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Nefro-Urologia dell'Università Ospedale Giovanni Bosco, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boero
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martina
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bosio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Devos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bertolo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forneris
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Giachino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quarello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piccoli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies