title: Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and genotypes in patient with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis.
abstract: The prevalence of antibodies to HCV varies among Brazilian regions at rates of 8-16%. Since this virus is transmitted by the parenteral route through blood and blood products, patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis therapy are at an increased risk of infection. The study was conducted in seven dialysis centers in Belém, Pará, northern Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 798 patients with chronic renal disease treated by hemodialysis. The samples were tested for antibodies against HCV and the viral genotype was identified. Sixty-seven (8.4%) of the 798 patients studied were anti-HCV positive by ELISA, ranging from 4% to 14% in different centers. Viral RNA was detected in 5.3% (43/798) of the patients; of these, 42 also had anti-HCV antibodies. HCV genotyping revealed genotype 1 as the most common, detected in 86.1% (37/43) of the patients, followed by genotype 2 in 11.6% (5/43) and genotype 3 in one patient (2.3%). The findings of this study highlight the importance of control strategies for hepatitis C in hemodialysis patients. Molecular biology methods need to be available in these centers to screen for HCV on admission in order to establish effective infection control measures.
authors.affiliation: University of the State of Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Jesus Rodrigues de Freitas
authors.forename: Amanda Alves
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fecury
authors.forename: Marcella Kelly Costa
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Andrei Silva
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Souza Guimarães
authors.forename: Andrea Marinho
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Ygor Fernando Ferreira
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Renata Aparecida Andrade
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Luisa Caricio
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: HCV; hemodialysis; molecular biology