Abstract:
This is a qualitative, descriptive, cross-sectional, hospital-
based study
It was conducted among hemodialysis patients in EL
Gazera State, (Medani Teaching Hospital), during the
period from March to June 2013.
A total of ninety one subjects (n=91) were enrolled in this
study, 49 of them were males (54%) and 42 were females
(46%). Age rang was from 15 to 80 years (mean: 43.08
years). The mean duration of hemodialysis was 2.98 years
(range: 1-11 years) and sixty eight of patients (75%) had a
history of blood transfusion but none of them had organ
transplantation.
From the study participants, serum samples were tested
for
HBsAg
and
HBcAb
by
a
capture
enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and for Hepatitis B virus DNA by
polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Data were analyzed by
SPSS version 11.5 computer software.The results obtained
showed, that 15 out of 91 haemodialysis patients were
HBsAg positive (16.5%),and 76 were HBsAg negative
(83.5%).
However,
when
the
same
technique
was
used
for
detecting HBcAb, 27 out of 91 hemodialysis patients were
total HBcAb positive (29.7%), and 64 were HBcAb negative
(70.3%).
When 26 HBsAg– negative – HbcAb –positive samples were
examined by conventional PCR, 3 samples were found
HBV-DNA- positive (11.5%).This study concluded that,
there was a strong evidence to support the presence of
occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) in hemodialysis patients.
Therefore, we strongly believe that, in addition to sero-
detection of HBV markers, conventional PCR is necennary
to uncover HBV occult subjects among hemodialysis
.patients
