Hepatitis c virus infection in hemodialysis patients in Sudan : two centers' report

• Published in: Saudi journal of kidney diseases and transplantation 2007-01, Vol.18 (1), p.101-106
• Main Authors: Osman, E. M., Makki, M. O., Abd al-Rahim, M. B., Ismail, M. O., Yusuf, M. E. A., Abbas, A. M., al-Haj, H. S., Ammar, H. K., al-Amin, H. H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Child; Complications; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - etiology; Cross Infection - transmission; Cross Infection - virology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demographic aspects; Diagnosis; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Health aspects; Hemodialysis; Hemodialysis patients; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis C - etiology; Hepatitis C - transmission; Hepatitis C - virology; Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood; Hepatitis C virus; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Renal Dialysis; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Sudan - epidemiology; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; التهاب الكبد سي; الفيروسات; المرضى; المضاعفات; غسيل الكلى
• ISSN: 1319-2442; 2320-3838

Prevalence of HCV seropositivity among the hemodialysis population in Sudan is estimated to be around 34 %. We undertook a cross sectional study in two major HD centers in Khartoum, Sudan for the prevalence of HCV seropositivity among the hemodialysis patients, during January to-March 2005. Testing for HCV antibodies was performed using 3 rd generation enzyme linked immunoadsorption assay (ELISA). A total of 236 patients were included in the study : 218 adults and 18 children. The mean age was 43.6 ± 15.6 years, and the majority was males : 71.6 %. The cause of renal failure was unknown in 168 patients (71.2 %). The mean HD duration was 36.6 ± 35.1 months. Prevalence of HCV seropositivity was 23.7 %. Among 170 patients who were previously HCV seronegative, 30 (17.1 %) seroconverted to positive in one year (estimated incidence : 63 new cases per year). HCV seropositivity was associated with longer duration of dialysis (p < 0.00001), previous surgery (p = 0.026), age of over 30 and years (p = 0.008), and dialysis in multiple centers (p = 0.005). We conclude that although HCV seropositivity in our study was lower than previously reported, it was still high among HD patients in Sudan. Nosocomial transmission of HCV among hemodialysis patients is a contributing factor.