Accuracy of serology and molecular diagnosis tests for HBV and HCV in Chronic Renal Failure patients on hemodialysis, Porto Velho, Brazil

Abstract

Patients under hemodialysis treatment for chronic renal failure (CRF) are among the groups with the highest prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses due to frequent blood transfusions and nosocomial transmission. A group of CRF patients living in Porto Velho were tested with serological markers for hepatitis B and C using the ELISA test and molecular biology techniques (PCR). The validity parameters for the serological results were measured based on the PCR results. Of the 128 patients on hemodialysis during the study, 12 (9.4%) were HBsAg positive, 69 (53.9%) were anti-HBc positive, 93 (72.7%) were anti-HBs positive, and 22 (17.2%) were anti-HCV positive. The PCR tests result in 12 (9.4%) HBV-DNA positive and 16 (12.5%) HCV-RNA positive. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of ELISA for HBsAg were 90.6%, 50% and 94.8%, and the same parameters were 92.2%, 87.5% and 92.9% for anti-HCV. Based on the results just the negative predictive value for anti-HCV (98,2%) is a reliable test in CRF patients on hemodialysis. Beside that, serial serological and/or molecular tests are the indicated methodology to diagnosis HBV and HCV infection in these patients.