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Seronegative occult hepatitis C infection among hemodialysis patients: A prevalence study

Shahab Mahmoudvand1,2, Somayeh Shokri2, Azarakhsh Azaran1,2

  • 1Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis : Official Peer-Reviewed Journal of the International Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Apheresis, the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy
|June 9, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (OCI) affects 6.3% of hemodialysis patients, detectable in PBMCs despite negative antibodies. Early detection of OCI in hemodialysis patients is crucial for managing complications.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Nephrology

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection poses risks to hemodialysis (HD) patients.
  • Occult HCV infection (OCI), lacking detectable antibodies, presents diagnostic challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of OCI in HD patients.
  • To evaluate diagnostic methods for OCI in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Blood samples from 79 HD patients were analyzed.
  • Sera tested for anti-HCV antibodies.
  • HCV RNA detection in sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using nested RT-PCR.

Main Results:

  • Anti-HCV antibodies detected in 5.1% of patients.
  • HCV RNA found in PBMCs of 6.3% of patients, indicating OCI.
  • HCV genotype 3a was identified in all OCI cases.
  • No significant gender-based difference in OCI frequency.

Conclusions:

  • A 6.3% prevalence of OCI was found in HD patients.
  • Sensitive methods detecting HCV RNA in PBMCs are essential for diagnosing OCI in HD patients.
  • Implementing sensitive diagnostics for OCI is recommended for all HD patients due to potential complications.

Keywords:
hemodialysisnested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactionoccult hepatitis C virus infection

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