Hepatitis C Infection in Dialysis

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects more than 170 million people worldwide and is recognised as both a cause and consequence of end-stage kidney failure. The incidence rates of HCV infection are considerably higher in dialysis patients than in the general population and are 3-fold higher in haemodialysis patients than peritoneal dialysis patients. Risk factors for HCV infection in dialysis patients include blood transfusion number, haemodialysis duration, dialysis unit HCV prevalence, prior kidney transplantation, intravenous drug use, male gender and older age. This book reviews the epidemiology of HCV in dialysis and discusses strategies for screening, transmission prevention, treatment and evaluation/management prior to kidney transplantation.