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Hepatitis C risk factor for patients submitted to dialysis
Maria Zélia Baldessar1, Jane Bettiol, Fabrício Foppa
1University of Extreme South of Santa Catarina, Tubarão, Brazil. neief@uol.com.br
Summary
Hepatitis C infection affects 16.8% of dialysis patients in Tubarao, Brazil. Longer dialysis treatment duration significantly increases the risk of acquiring this infection.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Nephrology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Hepatitis C poses a significant health risk to patients undergoing renal dialysis.
- Understanding the prevalence and transmission factors is crucial for patient care and infection control in dialysis settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among dialysis patients.
- To identify factors associated with HCV seropositivity in this vulnerable population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study conducted at the Clinic of Renal Diseases (CRDT) in Tubarao, Brazil.
- Data collected from January 1st to December 31st, 2004.
- Analysis of patient demographics, medical history, and dialysis parameters.
Main Results:
- A prevalence of 16.8% for Hepatitis C was observed in the studied dialysis patient cohort.
- Prolonged duration of dialysis treatment emerged as a significant risk factor for HCV infection.
- No significant correlation was found between HCV seropositivity and age, gender, underlying diseases, clinic infrastructure, dialysis machine type, dialyzer characteristics, or dialyzer reuse frequency.
Conclusions:
- Hepatitis C infection is highly prevalent in patients undergoing dialysis.
- The duration of dialysis treatment is a critical risk factor for acquiring Hepatitis C infection in this population.
- Further research and stringent infection control measures are warranted to mitigate HCV transmission in dialysis units.
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