Prevalence of occult HBV infection in haemodialysis patients with chronic HCV.
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence and clinical effects of occult HBV infection in haemodialysis patients with chronic HCV.


METHODS
Fifty chronic hemodialysis patients with negative HbsAg, and positive anti-HCV were included in the study. These patients were divided into two groups: HCV-RNA positive and HCV-RNA negative, based on the results of HCV-RNA PCR. HBV-DNA was studied using the PCR method in both groups.


RESULTS
None of the 22 HCV-RNA positive patients and 28 HCV-RNA negative patients revealed HBV-DNA in serum by PCR method. The average age was 47.2 +/- 17.0 in the HCV-RNA positive group and 39.6 +/- 15.6 in the HCV-RNA negative group.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of occult HBV infection is not high in haemodialysis patients with chronic HCV in our region. This result of our study has to be evaluated in consideration of the interaction between HBsAg positivity (8%-10%) and frequency of HBV mutants in our region.
Goral
Vedat
V
Department of Gastroenterology, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey. vegoral@hotmail.com
Ozkul
Hamza
H
Tekes
Selahattin
S
Sit
Dede
D
Kadiroglu
Ali Kemal
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral