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A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
13:04

A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication

Published on: June 26, 2014

Diagnostic Dilemmas in Hepatitis C Virus Infection for Hemodialysis Patients

Radka T Komitova1, Maria V Atanasova2, Toska A Pavlova3

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15A Vassil Aprilov Blvd., 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Folia Medica
|April 7, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in dialysis patients is best diagnosed using both serological and biomolecular tests. This dual approach improves accuracy in identifying HCV in this vulnerable population.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Hepatology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant cause of chronic hepatitis among patients undergoing dialysis.
  • Clinical presentation of HCV in dialysis patients is often non-specific, necessitating reliable laboratory diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To accurately determine the prevalence of HCV infection in dialysis patients.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of simultaneous anti-HCV antibody and HCV RNA testing for diagnosis.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, cross-sectional longitudinal study of 93 dialysis patients over 18 months.
  • Simultaneous testing for anti-HCV antibodies (ELISA) and HCV RNA (RT-PCR) in plasma and mononuclear cells.
  • Repeated testing for anti-HCV negative patients to ensure accurate diagnosis.

Main Results:

  • Overall seroprevalence of HCV was 20.6% in 68 patients.
  • 10 patients were viremic (HCV RNA+/anti-HCV+), and 4 (5.9%) showed discordant results (anti-HCV+/HCV RNA-).
  • Viremic patients had a significantly longer duration of dialysis (p=0.005).

Conclusions:

  • Simultaneous serological and biomolecular testing enhances the accuracy of HCV diagnosis in dialysis patients.
  • A combined diagnostic strategy is recommended for improved detection rates.
  • Larger studies are needed to validate this approach for national implementation.
Abstract

Keywords:
hemodialysishepatitis C virusnosocomial transmissionprevalenceviral hepatitis

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