Antibody to hepatitis A and hemodialysis

Antibody to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) was surveyed in 469 patients from 20 of 31 Michigan hemodialysis units, during spring 1978. The mean point prevalence of anti-HAV was 59.5% and within the 20 individual units ranged from zero to 100%. For the entire survey population, the point prevalence of anti-HAV was significantly greater with increasing age, among blacks, and in individuals with hypertension as their underlying renal disease. Anti-HAV was independent of sex, duration of dialysis, or the presence of either hepatitis B surface antigen or its associated antibody. Within individual units, anti-HAV prevalence was associated with a higher mean patient age but not with dialysis unit size, mean duration of dialysis therapy, race, or prevalence of hepatitis B markers among patients or staff. These data support reports that transmission of the hepatitis A virus is neither associated with hemodialysis therapy nor routinely spread by parenteral mechanisms as observed in hepatitis B virus transmission.