Journal of Liver

Effect of isolation measures on the profile of Hepatitis C virus infection in haemodialysis unit of a tertiary care hospital

World Congress on Hepatitis

July 20-22, 2015 Orlando, Florida, USA

Garima Mittal

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Liver

Abstract:

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Several studies demonstrated nosocomial transmission of HCV among HD patients. Aim: We aimed to compare the prevalence and incidence of HCV seropositivity before isolation and after isolation among a group of Indian haemodialysis patients in a tertiary care hospital setting. Methods: We compared our patients on regular haemodialysis in two different time period of 18 months each. First group included 97 patients on regular haemodialysis not following strict isolation of the HCV sero-positive patients and were followed over a period of 18 months, and the second group included 113 patients on regular haemodialysis following this strict isolation again over a period of 18 months. In these patients HCV status were done at every 3-4 months interval to look for seroconversion. Results: There was a significantly higher incidence of HCV seroconversion among the patients who were on haemodialysis and were not following strict isolation (17.17%) than those following strict isolation (3.03%). History of blood transfusions, duration of HD, dialyser reuse and dialysis at multiple centers were found to be important risk factors for anti-HCV positivity. Conclusions: In Haemodialysis units with a high prevalence of HCV seropositivity, strict isolation of HCV+ patients in combination with implementation of universal work precaution measures can limit the spread of HCV infection in HD patients.

Biography :

Garima Mittal (MBBS,MD Microbiology) is currently working as Assistant Professor in the department of Microbiology in HIMS, Dehradun. She is in-charge of serology section which is a NABL accredited laboratory, HIV State reference lab and is part of hospital infection control committee. She has published more than 15 papers in reputed journals, reviewer of few journals and is involved in many projects of national repute.