title: Viral hepatitis, HIV, human herpes virus and Treponema pallidum infection in haemodialysis patients from Kosovo, 2005.
abstract: The serological status of hepatitis viruses and other infectious diseases in the 66 dialysed patients of one haemodialysis unit in Kosovo were studied, comparing the data with a large group of blood donors and out-patients. All dialysed patients were hepatitis A virus (HAV) positive. Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs), and hepatitis B core antibodies (anti-HBc) was 14 of 66, 21% (95% confidence interval (CI): 12-33%), 5 of 66, 8% (95%CI: 5-22%), and 50 of 66, 76% (95%CI: 64-85%), respectively. Antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) prevalence was 57 of 66, 86% (95%CI: 76-94%). No human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive case was found. Prevalence of past herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection was 29% (95%CI: 18-41%). Two patients (3%, 95%CI: 0-10%) were positive for Treponema pallidum and 18% (95%CI: 10-30%) were human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) antibody positive. Four hundred and fifty-two subjects were recruited for comparison. Markers of past HAV infection was associated with haemodialysis (Fisher s exact test p-value=0.037). Dialysed patients were at a higher risk of being HBsAg positive than others: the sex- and age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 5.18 (95%CI: 1.87-14.32). Anti-HBc positivity was strongly associated with haemodialysis: the sex- and age-adjusted OR was 6.43 (95%CI: 3.22-12-85). Anti-HCV positivity was 86% and 1% in presence and absence of haemodialysis, respectively. The Fisher s exact test for association proved a strong association between haemodialysis and HCV (p-value<0.0001). The OR for association between haemodialysis and HSV-2 positivity was 3.20 (95%CI: 1.46-7.00). Significant associations were also observed between haemodialysis status and antibodies to Treponema pallidum (Fisher s exact test p-value=0.044). In Kosovo, the prevalence of viral hepatitis infection and other viral infections and Treponema pallidum among dialysed patients is high, indicating major ongoing nosocomial transmission.
authors.affiliation: Veneto Region, Italian Co-operation, Peja Training Project Team, Venice, Italy. gianluca.quaglio@azosp.vr.it
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Quaglio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pattaro
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramadani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertinato
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Elezi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dentico
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Volpe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciotti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rezza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Putoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014211:Treponemal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015022:Yugoslavia / Q000453:epidemiology