Occult hepatitis C virus infection is more common than hepatitis B infection in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Patients of end stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled to study the prevalence of occult and dual hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and non-occult hepatitis B and C virus infection. One hundred and two patients were enrolled. Thirty patients had HCV infection, three of them were positive in anti-HCV. So, 27 (90%) of HCV-positive patients had occult HCV infection. Eleven (11%) patients had HBV infection. Five patients were positive in anti-HBc or HBV-DNA, but negative in HBsAg (occult HBV infection). Three (3%) patients had dual HBV and HCV infection. None of the patients showed changes in viral markers during the follow-up of 8 mo on average (1-12 mo).