Objective: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of sporadic, frequently posttransfusional, acute and chronic hepatitis in the World. Prevalance of anti-HCV antibody ranging from 10% to 90% have been reported in the risk groups such as intravenous drug abusers, hemodialysis patients, and people suffering from other liver diseases, whereas HCV seropositivity among hemodialysis patients remains high compared with that of the general population. The aim of this study was to detect anti -HCV seroprevalence in hepatitis suspected blood samples of patients including hemodialysis ones.
Material and Method: We investigated the rate of HCV seropositivity in 520 persons with suspected hepatitis and in 96 patients on hemodialysis admitted to the Turgut Özal Medical Center between January, 2000 and December, 2000. Serum samples were assayed for anti-HCV antibodies by a fourth generation ELISA kit (Organon, UBI HCV v4.0).
Findings: Thirteen of the 520 persons tested (2.5%) and forthy-six of 96 patients on hemodialysis tested (52%) were positive for HCV antibodies (Odds ratio=19.17, p
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