Hepatitis c infection in kidney transplant candidates and recipients

4/2/2017

Hepatitis C infection in kidney transplant candidates and recipients

Official reprint from UpToDate ®
www.uptodate.com ©2017 UpToDate ®

Hepatitis C infection in kidney transplant candidates and
recipients
Authors
Marion Muche, MD
Seema Baid-Agrawal, MD

Section Editors
Daniel C Brennan, MD, FACP
Martin S Hirsch, MD
Adrian M Di Bisceglie, MD

Deputy Editors
Albert Q Lam, MD
Allyson Bloom, MD

INTRODUCTION
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes renal disease in native and transplanted kidneys. HCV-infected renal
transplant recipients have worse patient and allograft survival after transplantation compared with noninfected
renal transplant recipients.
Early detection, prevention, and treatment of HCV-related renal disease after kidney transplantation could
improve posttransplant outcomes in this population [1].
This topic reviews HCV infection in the renal transplant recipient. HCV infection among dialysis patients, in
the renal transplant donor, and in the general population is discussed elsewhere. (See "Hepatitis C virus
infection in kidney donors" and "Hepatitis C virus infection in patients on maintenance dialysis" and "Clinical

manifestations and natural history of chronic hepatitis C virus infection" and "Diagnosis and evaluation of
chronic hepatitis C virus infection" and "Overview of the management of chronic hepatitis C virus infection".)

EPIDEMIOLOGY
The reported prevalence of HCV infection among renal transplant recipients is approximately 1.8 to 8 percent
[2-6]. Most HCV-infected transplant recipients are infected prior to transplant, while on dialysis [5]. The
transmission of HCV through kidney transplantation is rare due to screening of donors [5]. (See "Hepatitis C
virus infection in kidney donors".)

SCREENING OF TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES
We agree with the 2008 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines that all transplant
candidates should be screened for HCV infection [7]. Transplant candidates who were previously
successfully treated for HCV infection should be rescreened at least annually.

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Hepatitis C infection in kidney transplant candidates and recipients

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Literature review current through: Jan 2017. | This topic last updated: thg 4 25, 2016.

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References
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