Prevention of hepatitis C infection in haemodialysis units. A prospective study

A prospective study was begun in our haemodialysis unit afterfour previously negative patients were found to be anti-HCVpositive. A dedicated area and dedicated dialysis equipment(but not a separate room) were assigned to anti-HCV-positivepatients and testing for HCV antibodies was performed every3 months. A total of 131 patients were treated during the studyperiod of 18 months. Of these, 50 patients were dialysed duringthe entire 18 months, and 21 were available to be tested sixor more months after having left the centre. During the first6 weeks after implementing the precautions two more anti-HCV-positivepatients were detected. However, during the rest of the studyperiod no further newly infected patients were found. It isconcluded that the spread of HCV infection in a haemodialysisenvironment can be prevented by limited isolation procedures.