Hepatitis B Infection in Hemodialysis Patients in Tehran Province, Iran

Aims: hemodialysis (hd) patients seem to be at considerable risk of acquiring hbv infection. this studywas carried out to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection in hemodialysis patients living inthe province of tehran and to investigate the association between viral hepatitis b and the probable risk factors for hdpatients.methods: from june to august 2005, this study was done on the entire hd population of the province of tehran (2630patients; 1505 males and 1125 females, mean age: 53.4 years). social and demographic data, date of onset of hd,length of time receiving hd services, history of a kidney transplant, multiple sex partners, and other probable riskfactors were evaluated. blood samples were tested for liver enzyme levels as well as human immunodeficiency virus(hiv) 1, hiv 2, hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag), hepatitis b surface antibody (anti-hbs), and hepatitis c antibody(anti-hcv).results: a total of 64 patients were hbsag positive (2.4%). the male-to-female ratio was 45/19 for hbsag-positivepatients and 1462/1104 for the remaining patients (p = 0.03), respectively. except for nationality (p < 0.001), previouskidney transplants (p < 0.001), age (p < 0.001), and transient hd (p < 0.001), no association was found between hbvinfection and probable risk factors.conclusions: common erythropoietin administration, blood testing for transfusion purposes, implementation ofuniversal precaution in dialysis units as well as the use of dedicated machines for hbv-infected patients has led to adecreasing trend of hbv infection. periodic surveillance of hbv infection among patients undergoing hemodialysis isstrongly recommended.