HCV and HGV were recognized as highly prevalent in maintenance dialysis population and variable from country to country and unit to unit. The introduction of serologic tests, for detecting antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) and HGV (anti-HGV) antigens, has facilitated the study of the epidemiology as well as clinical significance of HCV and HGV infections in patients on maintenance dialysis. The implementation of molecular biology techniques (polymerase chain reaction) for detecting HCV and HGV viremia (HCV-RNA, HGV-RNA) facilitate diagnosis and transmission routes of the infection. The aim of the study was to evaluate the coincidence of HCV and HGV infections in dialysis population and relationship between current and overcome infections and markers of liver damage. The study was performed in the group of 215 patients aged 26-81 years (mean 53.2) on 3 x week maintenance hemodialysis from 33 to 301 months (mean 101.8 months) in the Department of Nephrology, University Hospital, Cracow. Anti-HCV and anti-HGV antibodies were determined based on immunoenzymatic, IIIrd generation, methods. HCV-RNA and HGV-RNA were estimated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The anti-HCV antibodies were present (+) in 40 (18.6%) of patients. From the group of patients with anti-HCV (+) antibodies 42.5% were also HCV-RNA (+) whereas from the patients with anti-HCV (-) antibodies 10.4% were HCV-RNA (+). Anti-HGV antibodies tested in the group of 93 patients: 32 anti-HCV (+) and 61 anti-HCV (-) were positive in 20 (62.5%) and 22 (36.1%) patients, respectively. In the group of patients with anti-HGV (+) antibodies HGV-RNA (+) were detected in 63.6%. Anti-HCV (+) and anti-HGV (+) patients were dialysed longer as compared with negative ones: 144.5 vs. 83.5 months, p < 0.001 and 119 vs. 96.4 months, p-NS, respectively.
Conclusions: 1. The prevalence of HCV and HGV infections in the dialysis population is very high. 2. The coincidence of HCV and HGV infections is frequent. 3. Our results showed that even anti-HCV (-) and anti-HGV (-) patients carry the risk of viral infection due to detected HCV-RNA and HGV-RNA in some patients.