Incidence and factors associated with seroconversion to hepatitis C virus seropositivity amongst patients on maintenance hemodialysis, Douala-Cameroon.

Incidence and factors associated with seroconversion to hepatitis C virus seropositivity amongst patients on maintenance hemodialysis, Douala-Cameroon. Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2018 Jul-Aug;29(4):939-945 Authors: Halle MP, Larry T, Okalla C, Mefo'o N, Hermine F, Ashuntantang G Abstract Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection one of the most common blood-borne infections is endemic in Cameroon and a serious problem in hemodialysis (HD). We aimed to determine the annual incidence and factors associated with seroconversion to hepatitis C positivity amongst patients on maintenance HD after an exposition of two years in a center with a high prevalence of hepatitis C (20.6%) and where no isolation policy is practiced. This was a retrospective cohort study carried out in January 2015 in the HD unit of Douala General Hospital in Cameroon including 71 patients on maintenance HD who tested negative for HCV in January 2013. Socio-demographic characteristics and clinical data were recorded, while for each patient 10 mL of blood was collected and patients retested for HCV using a fourth-generation ELISA test (BIOREXR BXEO781A). Fisher's exact test was used for dichotomous variables and using Mann Whitney's test for quantitative variables. Statistical significance was set at P <0.05. Mean age was 47 ± 13 years with 60.6% male. Blood transfusion was the main means for anemia management (85.9%) with a median number of blood units received of 5 (1-4...
Source: Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation - Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Tags: Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl Source Type: research