Preventive Measures for Viral Hepatitis B and C: Knowledge and Practice of Nurses in the Dialysis Unit

With an estimated 8–10 million people living with viral hepatitis in Egypt and millions more at risk for infection, viral hepatitis is among the most significant public health problems facing this country. Most morbidity and mortality result from the chronic form of viral hepatitis, which is caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections.Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections cause morbidity and mortality in dialysis patients. Prolonged vascular exposure and multiple blood transfusions increase the risk of acquiring these blood-borne infections in these patients. The risk for patients to become HBV positive increases 1.47 times each month of dialysis-contaminated devices, equipment, and supplies; environmental surfaces; and attending personnel may also play a crucial role in the nosocomial transmission of these infections.