Analysis of hepatitis virus infections among outpatients on chronic hemodialysis

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection rates have been reported to be higher in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) treatment than in the general population. Eighty-two outpatients used the dialysis facilities at Ehime Prefectural Central Hospital from 2016-2018. Of these, 31 (37.8%) patients tested positive for anti-hepatitis B surface antigen and/or anti-hepatitis B core antigen (HBc) antibodies, including 6 patients who tested positive for anti-HBc antibodies alone. The 31 patients all tested negative for HBV-DNA. Eight (9.7%) patients tested positive for anti-HCV antibodies, 6 of whom tested positive for HCV-RNA. Among the HCV-RNA-positive patients, 4 were positive for genotype 1, and 2 were positive for genotype 2. Five of these patients received direct-acting antivirals. All 5 patients exhibited sustained virological responses at 24 weeks after treatment (SVR24) Creating a portable flowchart can help raise awareness of infection countermeasures.