Hepatitis C virus in adolescent hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Objective Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major public health problem worldwide. It was estimated that 3% of the world’s population is infected with HCV. Hemodialysis patients are at an increased risk of developing infections sustained by hepatitis viruses. This study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of HCV in adolescent hemodialysis patients. Participants and methods Seventy-one Egyptian adolescent patients were included in this study. They were recruited from two hemodialysis units that used to send their patients’ serum at regular 3-month intervals for testing of hepatitis B surface antigen, HCV, and HIV antibodies. All patients were subjected to a complete assessment of medical history, full clinical examination, and liver function tests including alanine aminotransferase, asparagine aminotransferase, serum alkaline phosphatase, serum creatinine, HCV antibodies, and hepatitis B surface antigen and HIV antibodies in serum using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. A group of 40 normal healthy adolescent were selected as controls. Results The percentage of HCV among hemodialysis adolescents was found to be 45.1%, with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 5.6% and combined infection in 17%. Blood transfusion was reported by 63.6% of the adolescents in the combined infection group (P<0.05). Also, there was a highly significant correlation between duration of renal dialysis and positive detection of combined infection with HBV and HCV. However, HCV, HBV, and combined infection showed no predilection for a certain sex or age. Conclusion HCV is prevalent in hemodialysis patients who are at risk of acquiring both HCV and HBV. HCV may be a risk factor for HBV infection and both share the same routes of transmission.