Prevalence Rate of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) Infection in Iraqi Patients on Hemodialysis: Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Globally, the prevalence rate of chronic HCV infection is highly variable and it is estimated

to range from 5 % up to 60 %. In the United States, it has been estimated that the prevalence rate of HCV

in patients on hemodialysis is 5 times as that seen in the general population; the prevalence rate in those

patients has been approximately 8 %. Hepatitis B virus infection was also a common health issue affecting

patients on hemodialysis; however, a great reduction in the incidence rate of HBV in those patients has been

noticed over that last decades. This reduction in the incidence of HBV has been attributed to vaccination, the

use of erythropoietin instead of frequent blood transfusion for treatment of anemia and screening of blood

donors.

Aim of the study: the current study was planned and carried out aiming at exploring the prevalence rates of

both HBV and HCV in patients and hemodialysis.

Patients and methods: The current cross sectional study was based on the inclusion of 160 patients with

chronic renal failure and on regular hemodialysis. The study was carried out in the dialysis unit at Adiwaniyah

Teaching Hospital, Adiwaniyah Province, mid-Euphrates region of Iraq. The study started on the second of

January 2019 and Ended on the 15th of September 2019. From each patient, a 5 ml sample of venous blood

was obtained and send to the central Laboratory of Adiwaniyah Teaching Hospital for purpose of serologic

identification of HBV and HCV infection in addition to estimation of both blood urea and serum creatinine.

Results: HCV was detected in 34 (21.2 %), while HBV was seen in 2 (1.2 %) and combined HBV and HCV

infection was observed in 2 (1.2 %). According to serologic method, 122 (76.2 %) were free of HCV or HBV

infection.

Conclusion: HCV was far more frequent than HBV infection in Iraqi patients with hemodialysis with

prevalence rates of 21.2 % versus 1.2 %, respectively.