title: HCV-RNA qualitative assay based on transcription mediated amplification improves the detection of hepatitis C virus infection in patients on hemodialysis: results from five hemodialysis units in central Greece.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  End-stage renal disease patients (ESRD) on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) are at increased risk of acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. An early and accurate diagnosis of HCV infection is important for the prevention of viral transmission and the management of ESRD patients on HD but conventional ELISA and PCR have often failed to reveal active HCV infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the prevalence of HCV infection in ESRD patients from all HD units in central Greece using a sensitive HCV-RNA transcription mediated amplification (TMA) assay and compared its sensitivity with that of anti-HCV ELISA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anti-HCV antibody (third generation ELISA), HCV-RNA (TMA) and HCV genotypes (HCV TMA-LiPA) were determined in 366 ESRD Greek patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 132 (36%) ESRD patients were HCV positive by ELISA or TMA; 44 by TMA alone, 16 by ELISA alone and 72 positive by both assays. More than half of the viraemic patients had genotype 3a.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV-RNA (TMA) assay appears to increase the accuracy in the diagnosis of HCV infection in HD patients compared to the anti-HCV ELISA and could serve as an additional screening tool in these patients.
authors: Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Academic Liver Unit and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Thessaly, 22 Papakiriazi str., 412 22 Larissa, Greece.
authors: Eirini I
authors: EI
authors: Rigopoulou
authors: Ioannis
authors: I
authors: Stefanidis
authors: Christos
authors: C
authors: Liaskos
authors: Eleftheria K
authors: EK
authors: Zervou
authors: Christos
authors: C
authors: Rizos
authors: Paraskevi
authors: P
authors: Mina
authors: Kalliopi
authors: K
authors: Zachou
authors: Christos
authors: C
authors: Syrganis
authors: Eftichios
authors: E
authors: Patsidis
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Kyriakopoulos
authors: Lambros
authors: L
authors: Sdrakas
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Tsianas
authors: Georgios N
authors: GN
authors: Dalekos
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral