THE EFFECT OF ISOLATION OF ANTI-HCV POSITIVE PATIENTS ON THE INCIDENCE OF HCV INFECTION IN A HEMODIALYSIS UNIT

Abstract

İn this study, HD patients with anti-HCV positive and negative were dialysed in different rooms and seperate machines, and the effects of this isolation on anti-HCV seroconversion in the cases without HCV infection were investigated.

Anti-HCV measurements in all patients were performed by second generation enzyme immunoassay method. Anti-HCV was detected once every three months and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) levels every month during the isolation period. Cases of which anti-HCV became positive or ALT increased were transferred to anti-HCV positive group. Fisher's exact and Student's t test were used for statistical analysis.

Anti-HCV seroconversion in the patients that startedHD as anti-HCV negative was detected as 44 % (12 of27pts) in 24 months before isolation(before June 1995) and 10%(3 of 30 pts) in 24 months during isolation period(p<0.01). Mean durations of HD in these two groups were 17.0±3.8 and 16.7±3.3 months (p>0.05). Blood transfusion had been made to 2 of the pts of which the anti-HCV became positive during the isolation period. On the other hand,while the anti-HCV prevalance was 51 % (64 of 126 pts) at the end of the period before isolation, it decreased to a level of 38 % (56 of 147 pts) at the end of June 1997 including the 24 months isolation (p<0.05). 

As a result, we considered that HCV transmission to the patients without HCV infection may be prevented, and the incidence of HCV infection may be decreased with the isolation of anti-HCV positive patients.