Transplantation Proceedings

liver411

Transplantation Proceedings
Volume 36, Issue 6 , July-August 2004, Pages 1824-1826
doi:10.1016/j.transproceed.2004.07.019
Copyright © 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus among dialysis
patients in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

W.Y. Almawi, , A.A. Qadi, H. Tamim, G. Ameen, A. Bu-Ali, S. Arrayid and M.M.
Abou Jaoude

Faculty of Medicine, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain

Available online 10 September 2004.

Abstract
Dialysis patients are at risk for contracting blood-borne infections,
including hepatitis viruses (HBV and HCV). The aim of this study was to
assess the prevalence of HBV and HCV infection among hamodialysis patients
in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Study subjects comprised 81 Bahraini and 34
Saudi dialysis patients, and as control 7714 Bahraini and 2330 Saudi blood
donors. Serologic markers of HBV (HBsAg, anti-HBc) and HCV (anti-HCV) were
determined by EIA and confirmed by PCR (HBV) and RT-PCR (HCV). Higher
prevalence of HCV (9.240% vs 0.300%, P < .001), HBsAg (5.88% vs 0.620%; P <
.001), but not anti-HBc (1.7% vs 4.6%; P = .01) were seen in patients
compared to controls, respectively. When compared to Bahrainis, higher
prevalence of HBsAg (11.8% vs 3.7%) and anti-HCV (14.7% vs 7.4%) were seen
among Saudi patients, respectively. Double HCV infection was frequent, and
the most prevalent types were HCV1a/1b plus HCV4 in Bahraini, and HCV 2/2a
plus HCV 4 among Saudi dialysis patients. Our results are the first report
on viral hepatitis among dialysis patients in Bahrain, and the first to
compare HBV/HCV rates among dialysis patients in the Eastern Arabian
peninsula, and confirms other results that documented increased HBV and HCV
infection among dialysis patients. Future studies aimed at assessing the
status and to monitor the progress of viral hepatitis infection among
dialyzed and transfused patients will have a strong impact on patient
diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment.

Address reprint requests to Dr Wassim Y. Almawi, College of Medicine and
Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, PO Box 22979, Manama, Bahrain