Seroprevalence of hepatitis C in renal failure patients on maintenance hemodialysis - Study in a tertiary care hospital - Western India
Background: Hepatitis C is endemic in most parts of the world. It is a blood borne infection, which has a significant impact in treatment and outcome of renal failure patients undergoing dialysis.

Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis C in renal failure patients on maintenance hemodialysis in a tertiary care hospital.

Materials and Methods: This study was carried out retrospectively on patients undergoing hemodialysis whose samples were received for Hepatitis C screening in the Department of Microbiology, BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. A total of 910 patients were included in the study conducted over a period of 12 months. Screening for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies was done by a third-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and their epidemiological data were analyzed.

Result: Of the 910 patients screened for anti-HCV antibodies, 25 patients were found to be positive for Hepatitis C. The overall seroprevalence of hepatitis C among dialysis patients was 2.7%. The HCV positive rates were more among the males and highest in the age group of 30–60 years. Only 44% seropositive patient had raised alanine transaminase level.

Conclusion: Regular screening of hepatitis C patients is mandatory as it has a detrimental effect contributing to morbidity and mortality. Strict adherence to infection control practices should be prioritized in the health-care settings to reduce the burden of disease among the high-risk groups.