Title : Prevalence of Hepatits C in Hemodialysis patients.

Background :
1-Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV).[1] The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years. In some cases, those with cirrhosis will go on to develop liver failure or other complications, including liver cancer or lifethreatening esophageal varices and gastric varices.[1] The hepatitis C virus is spread by blood-to-blood contact. Most people have few, if any, symptoms after the initial infection, yet the virus persists in the liver in about 85% of those infected. Persistent infection can be treated with medication; peginterferon and ribavirin are the current standard therapy. Overall, between 51-80% of treated patients are cured. Those who develop cirrhosis or liver cancer may require a liver transplant, and the virus universally recurs after transplantation. 2-hemodialysis (also haemodialysis) is a method for removing waste products such as creatinine and urea, as well as free water from the blood when the kidneys are in renal failure. Hemodialysis is one of three renal replacement therapies (the other two being renal transplant; peritoneal dialysis). Hemodialysis can be an outpatient or inpatient therapy. Routine hemodialysis is conducted in a dialysis outpatient facility, either a purpose built room in a hospital or a dedicated, stand alone clinic. Less frequently hemodialysis is done at home. 3-Chronic hemodialysis patients are at high risk for infection because the process of hemodialysis requires vascular access for prolonged periods. In an environment where multiple patients receive dialysis concurrently, repeated opportunities exist for person-to-person transmission of infectious agents, directly or indirectly via contaminated devices, equipment and supplies, environmental surfaces, or hands of personnel. Furthermore, hemodialysis patients require frequent hospitalizations and surgery, which increases their opportunities for exposure to nosocomial infections. hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections continue to occur among chronic hemodialysis patients. Epidemiologic investigations have indicated substantial deficiencies in recommended infection control practices, as well as a failure to vaccinate hemodialysis patients against hepatitis.

Aim of study: to study the prevalence of Hepatitis C in hemodialysis patients. Settings: Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital, Dialysis Unit
Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Dialysis Unit

Requirement: Data collection for about 150 patients who were admitted for hemodialysis at both of the
hospitals mentioned above.

Time required: 5 months. Participation: Research idea and protocol provided by Dr. Haider Hashim, Department of Microbiology
With the participation of Community Medicine Department at Al-Kindy College of Medicine/ Baghdad University.

Research Team: Mohemmed Tariq, Ahmed Ali, Ahmed Abdulrazaq, Mohammed Amir, Elaf Ibraheem,
Dhirgham Haitham.

Research Team Advisor: Dr. Ahmed Marzooq, Department of Community Medicine at Al-Kindy
College of Medicine/ Baghdad University.

References : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_C
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemodialysis www.hcvadvocate.org