Professional paper
Hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in chronic haemodialysis patients in the County of Šibenik and Knin
Marijana Gulin
; Opća bolnica Šibenik
Rok Čivljak
; Klinika za infektivne bolesti "Dr.Fran Mihaljević"
Vesna Đogić
; Hrvatski zavod za transfuzijsku medicinu
Abstract
Hepatitis G virus (HGV) and GB virus type C (GBV-C) are today considered variants of the same RNA virus that belong to the Flaviviridae family. Since HGV is primarily transmitted parenterally, its high prevalence has been recorded among dialyzed patients. The aim of this paper was to investigate the prevalence of HGV infection in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing chronic haemodialysis at the Dialysis Unit of the General Hospital Šibenik and to determine the significance of HGV infection in these patients. Out of 79 patients dialyzed in this Unit during the observed period (August, 2004 – June, 2005), we prospectively followed 16 patients that met inclusion criteria for cadaveric kidney transplant waiting list. HGV infection was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in 6/16 examinees, non of whom had a HBV coinfection confirmed, only HCV coinfection in one patient. Elevated aminotransferases were found in two HGV-positive patients, of whom one was coinfected with HCV. The time spent on haemodialyis significantly increases the risk for activating HGV infection. However, multiple treatments with blood products, described in literature as the main risk factor for activating HGV infection, were not determined as a significant risk factor in our examinees.
Keywords
Hepatitis G virus (HGV); hepatitis; chronic renal failure; chronic haemodialysis
Hrčak ID:
23804
URI
Publication date:
11.12.2007.
Visits: 2.477 *