Prevalence, risk factors and impact of occult HCV infection on liver morbidity among haemodialysis patients: hospital-based cross-sectional study

Objectives Haemodialysis (HD) patients are at risk for blood-borne infections as occult HCV infection, which justifies comprehensive studies. We aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of occult HCV infection (OCI) among HD patients. Material and methods One hundred eligible HD patients, with no evidence of overt HCV or HBV and HBV vaccinated were recruited, and tested for HCV, HBV markers and HCV RNA. Two HCV-positive patients were excluded and peripheral mononuclear cells of 98 patients were verified for viraemia. Results OCI was detected in eight (8.16%); with a median viral load of 7010copies/ml. Their mean age was 30.63 (+/- 18.87 years) compared to others (41.73 +/- 15.93) (p = .069). History of surgery, dental procedure, and blood transfusion was comparably high in both groups (p > .05). All OCI patients underwent dialysis twice weekly compared to 48.9% of non-OCI patients (p = .006). OCI patients had a significantly higher mean duration of dialysis (12.63 +/- 6.74 years), and a significantly higher frequency (50%) of HCV Ab compared to 6.48 +/- 4.76, and 10%, respectively, in non-OCI patients. None of OCI patients was reactive to HBcAb compared to 34 (37.8%) patients without (p = .048). Evidence of liver morbidity was detected in 5 (62.5%) OCI patients compared to 43 (47.7%) of non-OCI patients (p > .05). Conclusion Among our HD patients, OCI is considered a comorbid finding associated with mild liver morbidity that warrants strict infection control and periodic testing for blood borne infections.