High percentage of seronegative HCV infections in hemodialysis patients: the need for PCR.
Among patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis, a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can be observed. In a prospective study, sera of 273 patients were examined for the presence of HCV infection by serological tests and by PCR. Thirty-five patients (12.8%) were HCV antibody positive, and in 31 of them HCV RNA could be detected by PCR. Among the 238 seronegative patients HCV infection was detected in 12 cases (5.0%) exclusively by PCR. Only in 1 of these patients seroconversion could be observed within the 18-month follow-up period. These findings demonstrate that in hemodialysis patients PCR is necessary for the diagnosis of HCV infection.
Schröter
M
M
Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Immunologie, Universitäts-Krankenhaus Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland.
Feucht
H H
HH
Schäfer
P
P
Zöllner
B
B
Laufs
R
R
D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012698:Serologic Tests
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies