The seroprevalence of hepatitis and retroviral infection in Jamaican haemodialysis patients

63 haemodialysis (HD) patients and 63 age and gender matched controls were investigated for hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) and antibodies to hepa titis B virus (anti-HBV), hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), hepatitis D virus ( anti-HDV), human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (anti-HIV-1 and 2) an d human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (anti-HTLV-1). The notable finding was an increase in hepatitis B markers, 34.9% in HD patients compared to 1 9.0% in controls (p < 0.02). The seroprevalence of anti-HCV (7.9%, p < 0.03 ) and anti-HTLV-1 (9.5%; p < 0.006) was also increased in the patients. Fou r of the five patients positive for anti-HCV were also seropositive for HBV . Anti-HIV and anti-HDV were not detectable in the HD patients in this stud y. The possibility of HTLV-1 being transmitted by organ transplantation is raised. The seropositivity rate for hepatitis B and C increased with durati on on dialysis, but it is unlikely that it was related to the number of blo od transfusions since 50% with no transfusion were HBV seropositive.