Viral hepatitis for the nephrologist

In patients with chronic renal failure hepatitis B and C are of special clinical importance as they are transmitted parenterally, potentially dialysis-associated, and because they often have a chronic course. This is reflected by their high prevalence in the dialysis population which shows marked diffractors between various countries: Germany 3% HBsAg and 7% Anti-HCV, UK 0,4 and 2%, Italy 5 and 32%, Poland 22 and 50%, Hungary 27 and 22%, respectively. The course of a viral hepatitis, depending on its etiology, is greatly influenced by the uremic immunodeficiency of dialysis- and predialysis patients, and even more by the immunosuppressive medication in transplant patients.