title: High prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in hepatitis C virus-infected hemodialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigates the seroprevalence of mycoplasma pneumonia (M. pneumoniae) in patients with hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection undergoing hemodialysis (HD).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and nine HD patients were randomly selected from a medical center in Taiwan. Among the subjects, 42 patients (aged 60.93 +/- 13.94 years) had HCV infection and 67 patients (aged 64.87 +/- 13.02 years) did not have HCV infection. All subjects were analyzed for serum antibodies to HCV and M. pneumonia. Biochemical testing of liver function included aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seroprevalence of M. pneumoniae (p = 0.023) and levels of AST (p = 0.006) and ALT (p < 0.001) were significantly higher for HCV seropositive HD patients than for HCV seronegative HD patients. HCV seropositive HD patients had a significantly increased risk of infection with M. pneumoniae (ORs, 2.475; 95% CIs, 1.099 - 5.571) and high ALT level (HAL) (ORs, 5.020; 95% CIs, 1.250 - 20.164, p = 0.018). The serum AST and ALT levels of HD patients with HCV and M. pneumoniae infection were significantly higher than those of non-HCV and non-M. pneumoniae infected HD patients (p = 0.017 and p = 0.001, respectively). HAL were observed significantly in HCV infection and M. pneumoniae co-infection HD patients (p = 0.023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that high M. pneumoniae infection in HCV-infected HD patients and that it was a factor exacerbating liver dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Biomedical Science and Technology, Yuanpei University, Hsinchu, Taiwan. jameskung@mail.ypu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Chien-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: Ru-Hsaun
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hai-Lung
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies