Epidemiological Aspects of Hepatitis B and C and Human Immunodeficiency Viruses Among Hemodialysis Patients in Mazandaran Province, Iran

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis patients are potentially susceptible to infection with blood-borne viral agents, especially hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and incidence of HBV, HCV, and HIV infections in hemodialysis patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was carried out in 482 hemodialysis patients who had been referred to eight dialysis centers in the Mazandaran province in Iran from 2012 - 2014. HBs Ag, HCV Ab, HBs Ab and HIV Ab were assessed every three months for two years. The patients’ demographic characteristics, including age, gender, area of residence, and duration of dialysis, were noted. The prevalence of each virus was also determined. RESULTS: From a total of 482 patients, 253 (52.5%) males and 229 (47.5%) females were evaluated. The mean age of all patients was 54.96 ± 16.1 years, and all participants were HIV negative. One subject had both HBV and HCV infections. HBs Ag and anti-HCV were detected in 10 (2.1%) and 40 (8.27%) patients, respectively. The mean age of HCV-positive patients was 55.4 ± 16.4, while HCV-negative patients were an average of 51.6 ± 10.7 years old (P = 0.002). The incidence of HCV was higher in people from 40–59 years of age (P < 0.001). No patients had HBV, and incidence of HCV was 0.5% in the first year and 0.75 in the second year. No cases of HIV were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the prevalence rates of HBV and HCV in hemodialysis patients were moderate to low in the Mazandaran province. Based upon the obtained levels of these viruses, these incidence rates are therefore reasonable.