title: Sero-conversion of HCV negative patients: a European study on the epidemiology and management of HCV haemodialysis patients.
abstract: This paper reports part of the findings from a larger study reported earlier, the European study on epidemiology and the management of HCV in the haemodialysis population (1). Centres recruited to the larger study were monitored for a further one year observation period to measure and generate a deeper understanding of HCV sero-conversion. From 4724 patients who were studied at the baseline, in 68 centres, only 13 patients were found to have sero-converted. These sero-conversions occurred in 7 hospitals within 5 different countries. Possible routes of transmission and risk factors are described with respect to the individual centres and good practice recommendations based on current evidence presented.
authors.affiliation: Padua University Hospital, Italy. zampieron@lycos.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zampieron
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jayasekera
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elseviers
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lindley
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ormandy
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D019985:Benchmarking; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000635:transmission; D004203:Disinfection / Q000458:organization & administration; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006276:Health Facility Size; D006436:Hemodialysis Units, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D016134:Organizational Policy; D011159:Population Surveillance; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration