Prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, GB virus C/hepatitis G and TT viruses in predialysis and hemodialysis patients

Patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis have a high risk of inf ections with viruses such as hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), GB virus C/hepatitis G (GBV-C/HGV) and TT (TTV) viruses. The prevalence of HBV, HCV , GBV-C/HGV and TTV in patients with chronic renal failure who are on conse rvative management before entering into a hemodialysis program (predialysis ) in comparison with hemodialyzed patients was studied to elucidate whether the high prevalence of these viruses is influenced by that observed in the predialysis stage. The presence of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsA g), HCV RNA, GBV-C/HGV RNA and TTV DNA was analyzed in sera from 80 patient s with chronic renal failure (35 on predialysis and 45 on hemodialysis). HB sAg, HCV RNA, GBV-C/HGV RNA and TTV DNA were detected in one (2.8%), six(17 .1%), eight (22.5%)and 16 (45.7%) of the 35 patients on predialysis. Two (5 .7%) of these patients were coinfected with HCV and GBV-C/HGV, whereas six (17.1%) had GBV-C/HGV and TTV coinfection. In the 45 hemodialyzed patients, HBsAg, HCV RNA, GBV-C/HGV RNA and TTV DNA were detected in one (2.2%), two (4.4%), seven (15.5%) and 26 (57.7%). One (2.2%) patient had HBV and TTV c oinfection,two (4.4%) HCV and TTV coinfection whereas four (8.8%) were coin fected with GBV-C/HGV and TTV. No differences regarding age, gender, previo us surgery and number of transfusions were found between infected and uninf ected patients within and between both groups. In conclusion, the prevalenc e of the viruses studied in predialysis may influence their prevalence in d ialysis units. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.