ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Chronic liver disease resulting from hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections is still a major concern in kidney recipients. It is unclear whether HCV antibody status and markers of HBV infection are associated with renal dysfunction. Thus, we designed a study to investigate the incidence of HBV and HCV infection after renal transplantation and whether these infections alter graft function. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients who underwent renal transplantation participated in the study. Serum creatinine and aminotransferase levels were measured with standard automated analyzers. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected with an enzyme immunoassay, and a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was used to test for HCV-RNA. Serological markers for HBV (HBsAg and anti-HBc antibody) were detected by enzyme immunoassay. All samples from patients who were seropositive for HBsAg or anti-HBc antibody were PCR-tested for HBV-DNA. A serum sample collected from living donors was tested for anti-HCV antibodies and serological markers for HBV. Serum creatinine and aminotransferase levels were also measured in living donors. RESULTS: Anti-HCV was not detected in serum samples of any cases before transplantation. However, 10 (17.2%) tested positive after transplantation. HCV-RNA was detected in 2 of the 10 patients (3.4% of all patients). None of the pretransplantation serum samples tested positive for HBsAg. However, anti-HBc antibody was identified in 8 (13.8%) of the 58 patients.. No HBV DNA was detected in serum samples of the patients with anti-HBc or HBsAg-positive. HBsAg was only detected in 1 (1.7%) recipient after transplantation. None of the 58 patients showed clinical signs or symptoms of renal dysfunction during the study period. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that, neither HBV nor HCV infection appears to cause or contribute to renal dysfunction in the early period (1 year) after renal transplantation. Nevertheless, a long-term consequence of chronic HBV or HCV liver disease or graft loss is not impossible in renal transplant recipients.
