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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 7, 2006; 12(21): 3420-3424
Published online Jun 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i21.3420
Prevalence of occult HBV infection in haemodialysis patients with chronic HCV
Vedat Goral, Hamza Ozkul, Selahattin Tekes, Dede Sit, Ali Kemal Kadiroglu
Vedat Goral, Department of Gastroenterology, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey
Hamza Ozkul, Department of Internal Medicine, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey
Selahattin Tekes, Department of Molecular Biology, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey
Dede Sit, Department of Nephrology Dicle University, School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey
Ali Kemal Kadiroglu, Department of Nephrology Dicle University, School of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey
Correspondence to: Professor Vedat Goral, Department of Gastroenterology, Dicle University School of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey. vegoral@hotmail.com
Telephone: +90-533-5256614 Fax: +90-412-2488443
Received: September 13, 2005
Revised: September 28, 2005
Accepted: October 26, 2005
Published online: June 7, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To study the prevalence and clinical effects of occult HBV infection in haemodialysis patients with chronic HCV.

METHODS: Fifty chronic hemodialysis patients with negative HbsAg, and positive anti-HCV were included in the study. These patients were divided into two groups: HCV-RNA positive and HCV-RNA negative, based on the results of HCV-RNA PCR. HBV-DNA was studied using the PCR method in both groups.

RESULTS: None of the 22 HCV-RNA positive patients and 28 HCV-RNA negative patients revealed HBV-DNA in serum by PCR method. The average age was 47.2 ± 17.0 in the HCV-RNA positive group and 39.6 ± 15.6 in the HCV-RNA negative group.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of occult HBV infection is not high in haemodialysis patients with chronic HCV in our region. This result of our study has to be evaluated in consideration of the interaction between HBsAg positivity (8%-10%) and frequency of HBV mutants in our region.

Keywords: Chronic HCV; Haemodialysis; Occult HBV infection