Seroprevalence and Quantitative Assessment of Hepatitis C Viral Load in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Udaipur Rajasthan

Abstract

Background:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a persistent blood-borne infection with a specific affinity for liver tissue. Among individuals undergoing hemodialysis (HD), the incidence of HCV transmission is notably higher than in the general population. Evaluating the seroprevalence and genetic diversity of HCV in this vulnerable cohort is essential for estimating infection burden, enhancing surveillance, and formulating optimized treatment strategies in clinical settings. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the Seroprevalence and quantitative assessment of HCV among HD patients at a tertiary healthcare center.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included individuals undergoing maintenance HD due to chronic kidney disease (CKD). Data collection involved demographic details, CKD etiology, associated comorbidities, dialysis duration, as well as biochemical and hematological parameters. At baseline, all enrolled patients were screened for anti-HCV antibodies using an HCV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Those who initially tested negative were periodically monitored for seroconversion. By the study’s conclusion, all anti-HCV antibody-negative samples and all antibody-positive specimens were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by genotyping.
Results:After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 145 patients were enrolled in the study, comprising 85 males (58.62%) and 60 females (41.38%). Participants ranged in age from 13 to 89 years, with a mean age of 48.97 years (SD: 18.37 years). Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 52 individuals (27 during initial screening and 25 upon follow-up). RT-PCR analysis confirmed HCV RNA positivity in 32 patients (13 at screening and 19 during follow-up). Among these, genotyping identified HCV subtype 1a in 28 cases, genotype 3b in one case, while 3 samples yielded inconclusive results.
Conclusion:Prolonged dialysis duration was significantly linked to an increased likelihood of HCV infection. Additionally, discrepancies between serological and molecular findings were observed in HCV detection. Genotype 1a was identified as the most prevalent HCV strain among HD patients in this tertiary care facility.