A very high prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among patients undergoing hemodialysis in Kosovo: a nationwide study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients on hemodialysis are at high risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection if measures for effective control of HCV infection in the hemodialysis environment are not implemented. Whereas in developed countries isolated small-scale outbreaks of HCV in hemodialysis units are occasionally reported, HCV transmission in the hemodialysis environment still represents a substantial problem in low-resource countries. This study systematically assessed the prevalence of HCV infection among all patients at all hemodialysis centers in Kosovo, determined the HCV genotype distribution, and reviewed the main risk factors associated with HCV infection in this group of patients.

Methods

From January to March 2013, blood samples from all patients undergoing hemodialysis at all

SUBMITTER: Jakupi X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6215601 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature