| Theme | New Strategies to Control Viral Hepatitis in Dialysis Patients | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Origin of hepatitis C virus in patients at hemodialysis therapy initiation | |
| Publish Date | 2009/08 | |
| Author | Shigeru Otsubo | Department of Blood Purification, Sangenjaya Hospital / Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Care,Tohto College of Health Sciences |
| Author | Kosaku Nitta | Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University |
| Author | Takashi Akiba | Department of Blood Purification, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University |
| [ Summary ] | Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may affect kidney function by causing hepatorenal syndrome, hepatic glomerulosclerosis, HCV-associated glomerulonephritis or diabetic nephropathy. On the other hand, patients with end-stage kidney disease are thought to be susceptible to HCV infection because of a decline in immune competence. Thus, HCV infection can both be a cause of and lead to complications from chronic kidney disease. Prevalence rates for HCV infection are highin patients newly initiated to hemodialysis. Advanced age, blood transfusion, male gender, and diabetic nephropathy are risk factors for anti-HCV antibody positivity. Donor blood was not routinely screened for HCV infection in Japan until 1989. Older patients may have received unscreened blood that may have transmitted HCV infection. | |