Hussein Magdi M, Mooij Jaap M
Department of Nephrology, Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2010 Sep;21(5):909-13.
In the present study, we report on the follow-up of the epidemiology of hepatitis C viremia in our dialysis unit after our previous report, over the period from July 1, 2003 to December 31, 2005. The methods to reduce the prevalence of hepatitis C viremia in our center included: strict adherence to universal infection control precautions, separation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive patients from the negative patients and using specially designated machines for them, and from July 2003, periodic testing of all patients for HCV-RNA. Following the application of the above mentioned methods, we have not had, since 31 December 2005, any case of sero-conversion from HCV-negative to HCV-positive in our dialysis unit and the only HCV-positive patients present were those who were already positive at entry. The overall prevalence of HCV-RNA positive patients in our unit has presently come down to 6.5%. Although isolation and use of designated machines for HCV-RNA positive patients is not recommended following the latest guidelines of "Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes" (KDIGO, 2008), the present study supports previous reports that these measures might be beneficial, when there is a high prevalence of HCV-RNA positive patients, and in units where due to understaffing or other causes, break in infection control procedures is likely to occur.
在本研究中，我们报告了自上次报告以来，2003年7月1日至2005年12月31日期间我们透析单元丙型肝炎病毒血症的流行病学随访情况。我们中心降低丙型肝炎病毒血症患病率的方法包括：严格遵守普遍的感染控制预防措施，将丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）阳性患者与阴性患者分开，并为他们使用专门指定的机器，并且自2003年7月起，对所有患者定期进行HCV-RNA检测。在应用上述方法后，自2005年12月31日以来，我们的透析单元没有出现过任何从HCV阴性血清转化为HCV阳性的病例，目前存在的唯一HCV阳性患者是那些入院时就已呈阳性的患者。我们单元中HCV-RNA阳性患者的总体患病率目前已降至6.5%。尽管根据《肾脏病：改善全球预后》（KDIGO，2008）的最新指南，不建议对HCV-RNA阳性患者进行隔离并使用指定机器，但本研究支持先前的报告，即当HCV-RNA阳性患者患病率较高时，以及在由于人员不足或其他原因可能发生感染控制程序中断的单位中，这些措施可能是有益的。
