Impact of hepatitis B and C on graft loss and mortality of patients after kidney transplantation.

Background: Mortality or graft loss after renal transplantation might be influenced by hepatitis virus infection.

Methods: Sera from time of transplantation of 927 renal transplant recipients were tested for hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) in order to investigate the impact of hepatitis virus infection on graft loss and mortality over an observation period of 20 yr.

Results: One hundred and twenty three of 927 patients were HCV positive, 30 patients HBV positive and seven patients HBV and HCV positive.