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Hepatitis C Infection in Hemodialysis Patients
D C Caragea1, A R Mihailovici2, C T Streba3
1Department of Nephrology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania.
Insights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a significant concern for hemodialysis patients, with prevalence varying across Europe. While some regions show decreasing trends, others, like Romania, face persistently high rates, often linked to nosocomial transmission.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Infectious Diseases
- Hepatology
Background:
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in renal transplant and hemodialysis patients.
- While European trends suggest a decrease in HCV incidence and prevalence among hemodialysis patients, regional variations persist.
- HCV prevalence in hemodialysis patients is generally higher than in the general population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the current epidemiological trends of hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients across Europe.
- To identify factors contributing to persistent high HCV prevalence and incidence in specific regions, such as Romania.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of current control measures and recommend improvements.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological data on HCV infection in European hemodialysis centers.
- Analysis of regional variations in HCV incidence and prevalence over the past decade.
- Identification of primary transmission routes, with a focus on nosocomial infections.
Main Results:
- A general European trend towards decreasing HCV incidence and prevalence in hemodialysis patients is observed.
- Significant regional disparities exist, with some countries maintaining high infection rates.
- In Romania, high HCV prevalence and incidence are linked to nosocomial transmission, potentially exacerbated by resource limitations.
Conclusions:
- Hepatitis C virus infection control in hemodialysis requires tailored regional strategies.
- Enhanced isolation measures are recommended for dialysis centers with high HCV prevalence.
- Addressing nosocomial transmission is crucial, especially in resource-limited settings with growing dialysis populations.
Abstract:
Three centuries after the identification of hepatitis C virus (HCV), specialized literature has outlined the epidemiology, viral kinetics and clinical manifestations of this infection. A major cause of morbidity-mortality in patients with renal transplantation and in hemodialysis patients is HCV infection. In high seroprevalence countries, internal accounts are not uniform. The European trend is to decrease the incidence and prevalence of HCV in hemodialysis patients. In Europe, the prevalence of HCV infection among hemodialysis patients tends to be higher than that of the general population, but it is variable by region. Some studies indicate a decrease in incidence in parallel with prevalence in dialysis centers over the last 10 years, while others maintain a high incidence. In some countries, as is the case with Romania, both prevalence and incidence remain high, with the major route of transmission being nosocomial, probably due to limited resources for a rapidly growing dialyzed population. Some authors recommend more isolation measures to be taken in centers with high prevalence of infection.
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