Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies among Hemodialysis Patients

The frequency of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was investigated in 53 patients on chronic hemodialysis program by means of enzyme immunoassay for serum anti-HCV antibodies. Anti-HCV antibody was positive in 13 patients (24.5%) and anti-hepatitis B core (anti-HBc) was positive in 19 patients (36%) of these series. Intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) and/or anti-HIV positivity were absent in our patients. Of these anti-HCV (+) patients 11 had been given transfusion earlier while of the 41 patients which were anti-HCV (-) 31 had a history of former transfusion. There was therefore no statistically significant correlation between transfusion and HCV positivity in our patients. There was no history of IVDA and/or homosexuality. HCV transmission must have had therefore occurred by one of the other routes of contamination.