THE PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO HEPATITIS-C VIRUS AT 2 HEMODIALYSIS UNITS IN SOUTH-AFRICA

The prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) was deter mined in 103 haemodialysis patients who attended two dialysis units in South Africa. With the use of a second-generation enzyme-linked immun osorbent assay (UBI HCV EIA, Organon Teknika, The Netherlands) and a 4 -recombinant immunoblot assay (Chiron Corporation, USA), antibodies to HCV were found in 22 patients (21%), Statistically significant associ ations with anti-HCV carrier status were duration of dialysis (P = 0,0 005) and number of blood transfusions received (P = 0,008). With stepw ise logistic regression analysis it was not possible to separate the e ffects on HCV status associated with these two variables. A transient elevation in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) occurred in 8 of the 22 an ti-HCV-positive patients, compared with 14 of the 81 anti-HCV-negative patients (P = 0,054). As yet, no patients have clinical evidence of o ngoing liver disease or persistently elevated ALT levels. Of the 45 di alysis staff members tested, none was positive for anti-HCV.