Hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients in jordan.
June 29th, 2008 | by admin |Hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis patients in jordan.
To evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in our hemodialysis population, we carried out a survey of 273 adult hemodialysis patients in three hemodialysis units in Jordan using a second generation rapid enzyme immunoassay. Sixty seven patients were seropositive with a prevalence of 24.5%. All patients were transfusion dependent except two. More than 85% of the patients have been on hemodialysis for more than two years. Co-infection with hepatitis B virus was observed in six patients. Abnormal liver functions were seen in five patients, but liver biopsies were not done. The prevalence of hepatitis C antibody in healthy blood donors in Jordan is 1.7%. We conclude that HCV infection prevalence in hemodialysis patients in Jordan is 24.5%, a percentage similar to what has been reported around the world and in the neighboring countries.
Said RA, Hamzeh YY, Mehyar NS, Rababah MS.
Department of Medicine, Medical School, Jordan University, Amman, Jordan.