EUROPEAN STUDY ON EPIDEMIOLOGY AND THE MANAGEMENT OF HCV IN THE HAEMODIALYSIS POPULATION. PART 1: CENTRE POLICY

SUMMARY Haemodialysis patients are known to be at risk of infection of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) through nosocomial spread. This paper presents the first part of a study on epidemiology and management of HCV, in a haemodialysis population, conducted by the EDTNA/ERCA Research Board. Data on HCV management and infection control procedures was collected from 136 European centres using an electronic questionnaire. The study identifies a number of possible risk factors for transmission of the virus: failing to disinfect devices between patients, sharing of single-use vials to prepare drugs or infusions for different patients, inadequate sterilisation or cleaning of machines between dialysis sessions, unsatisfactory environmental cleaning and distance less than one metre between chairs.