Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hepatitis C infection in hemodialysis Patients (Kermanshah , 1999 – 2000)

Background& Objectives: Hepatitis C virus is one of the recently  discovered viruses that tend to  cause chronic liver disease. Hepatitis C is one of the most common types of viral  hepatitis, cirrhosis and carcinoma of liver in hemodialysis patients. The most important Risk factors of  Hepatitis C in dialysis patients are blood transfusion , duration of dialysis and  kidney transplantation .Today, nosocomial transmission of hepatitis C in dialysis centers is an  important problem .

This study was aimed to determine prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis C among dialysis patients in kermanshah province .

Materials and Methods : This descriptive  analytic study  was done   by census sampling  among all of the dialysis patients .Data collection was based upon a questionnaire and laboratory experiment. Diagnosis was made by detecting the anti HCV antibody using the third generation Elisa method. The collected data were  analyzed by t and X² tests .

Results: The prevalance of HCV  was 26.4%.There was significant correlation between the existence of HCV infection  and duration of dialysis (P<0.001) ,blood transfusion (P<0.01), kidney Transplantation (P<0.001), history of surgery (P<0.005). There  was no significant correlation between HCV infection  and age , sex , history of   hepalitis B Vaccination,dentistry procedure, tattooing, and phlebotomy.

Discussion : The  prevalence of hepatitis C was the same as in other studies abroad but in comparison with community prevalence role of Hemodialysis is significant ,The study showed that Hemodialysis is a risk factor for getting Hepatitis C .