Prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis C and B virus infections in hemodialysis patients and their spouses: A multicenter study in Beijing, China

Abstract

Hemodialysis patients are at risk for hepatitis C and B virus infections. This study investigated the prevalences and risk factors of HCV and HBV infection and the distribution of HCV genotypes among hemodialysis patients and their spouses. From August to November 2011, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 20 hemodialysis units in Beijing to investigate prevalences and risk factors for markers of HCV and HBV among 2,120 patients and 409 spouses. In hemodialysis patients, prevalences of anti-HCV, HCV RNA, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were 6.1%, 4.6%, and 7.0%, respectively. The prevalence of HCV antibodies among spouses was 0.5%, of HCV RNA was 0.2%, and of HBsAg was 4.2%. Risk factors for HCV infection were dialysis duration, blood transfusion, and attending more than one dialysis unit. HBV infection was independently associated with age, family member with hepatitis infection, gender, and surgery. The predominant HCV genotypes were 1b (89.0%) and 2a (7.7%), and genotypes 3a, 3b, and 6a were each 1.1%. A significant decrease in HCV and HBV prevalences in Chinese dialysis units showed that infection control measures were effective. However, because nosocomial transmissions persist, strict adherence to infection control measures should be emphasized to reduce the risk of transmission.

Epidemiological study of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections in Northeastern China and the beneficial effect of the vaccination strategy for hepatitis B: a cross-sectional study

“…China is among the countries with high endemicity with HBsAg-positivity rates varying by geography and subpopulation [16–18]. However, the results of HCV infection prevalence have been variegated in previous studies [19, 20]. The main findings of the present study are summarized as follows: (1) HBsAg was detected in 3.8% of the study participants, which corresponds to “low intermediate” endemicity and was markedly lower than the rate of 7.2% previously reported (2).…”

Update on epidemiology of hepatitis B and C in China

“…The prevalence of HCV infection in patients on maintenance hemodialysis in China was 41.1% (95% CI: 39.5–42.6%) . Furthermore, hemodialysis patients with blood transfusion were 5.65 times more likely to be infected with HCV than hemodialysis patients without blood transfusion . The pooled prevalence of HCV infection among IDUs in China was 61.4% (95% CI: 55.7–67.2%), and the epidemic was most severe in provinces/autonomous regions likes Hubei, Yunnan, Guangxi, Hunan, and Xinjiang .…”

Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Araştırma ve Uygulama Hastanesi Hemodiyaliz Ünitesi Hastalarının HBsAg ve Anti HCV Seropozitiflikleri

“…Çalışmamız süresi içerisindeki on yıl boyunca Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Hastanesi Hemodiyaliz Ünitesi'nde rastlanılan HBsAg ve Anti HCV pozitifliklerinin, ülkemiz ortalamasının altında olduğu görülmüştür (7). Hemodiyaliz merkezlerinin enfeksiyon kontrol önlemlerini etkin bir şekilde uygulaması, sağlık çalışanı ve personelin düzenli eğitimlerle bu konularda bilgilendirilmesi, seropozitif hastalara bakım veren personel ve ekipmanların ayrılması, hastaların serolojik takip ve aşılanmalarının yapılmasında gereken hassasiyetin gösterilmesi, hasta takip ve tedavisinin etkin bir şekilde yapılarak hastaneye yatışların azaltılması, bulaş yolları ve hijyene yönelik hemodiyaliz hastaları ve yakınlarının bilgilendirilmesi ve daha geniş çaplı eğitimlerle halkın bilinçlendirilmesi durumunda daha düşük HBsAg ve Anti HCV sonuçlarına ulaşılabileceğine inanmaktayız.…”