Investigation of Hepatitis C Virus Infections by Serological and Molecular Methods in Haemodialysis Patients in Kirkuk City-Iraq

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) causes the development of both acute and chronic liver disease and increases the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma at significant levels. Aim: In the present study, the purpose was to determine possible risk factors by determining the frequency of Hepatitis C in patients who are treated in the haemodialysis unit in Kirkuk, Iraq with serological and molecular methods. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Kirkuk, Iraq, between April 2021 and January 2022. The study group consisted of 200 patients who were diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and applied to the Kirkuk State Hospital and underwent hemodialysis, while the control group consisted of donors who came to the blood bank of the same hospital for blood donation and were found to be free of any disease. Liver function tests and IL-6 cytokine were studied in all of the samples included in the study. In addition to biochemical tests, the presence of HCV antibodies and HCV RNA were examined. Results: When the presence of Anti-HCV antibodies was investigated in 200 cases from the Study Group and 50 cases from the Control Group with ELISA, Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 36 cases in the Study Group, and no one was infected in the Control Group. HCV RNA was found to be positive in 30 of the 36 patients with positive anti-HCV in the Study Group. When the study and control group cases were examined in terms of serum ALT, AST, ALP, TSB, and IL-6 levels, it was determined that ALT, AST, ALP, and IL-6 levels were statistically significant between the groups. Conclusion: As a result, we believe that periodic studies will be useful in controlling the prevalence of HCV infection among hemodialysis patients and to uncover this relationship more clearly.