Hepatitis markers in hemodialysis patients

Abstract

In this study, antibodies against blood-borne hepatitis viruses (Hepatitis B, C and D) were investigated by ELISA in 43 patients with chronic renal insufficiency, at Hemodialysis Unit of Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine. 32 (76.2%) of the patients were found positive Anti-HBc total antibody and 12 (27.5%) patients were HBsAg carriers. 14 (32.5%) patients had Anti-HBs which showed protective immunity. Anti-HBs antibody was found negative in 6 patients after Hepatitis B infection. 9 (75%) of the HBsAg carriers had Anti-Delta antibody. 34 (79.1%) patients showed Anti-HCV positivity, 6 (18.2%) of HCV seropositive patients were found to be positive for HBsAg. There wasn't any correlation between length of time on hemodialysis, age and seropositivity of hepatitis markers. A correlation was detected between multiple transfusion and Anti-HCV seropositivity. The prevalence of HBsAg, Anti-HBc total and Anti-HCV were sequentially found 6%, 38%, 1% among healthy blood donors taken as a control group. Hepatitis virus infection was frequently seen in hemodialysis patients because of multiple blood transfusion. Chronicity is high because of insufficiency of cellular and humoral immunity. Testing blood for hepatitis viruses markers before blood transfusion and Hepatitis B vaccination programme might control viral hepatitis infection in hemodialysis units.