The frequencies of hepatitis B virus markers and hepatitis C virus antibody in patients with glomerulonephritis.

Hepatitis B virus markers and hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody were assayed in 72 patients with glomerulonephritis (GN) at the time of biopsy. The patients, 41 males and 31 females, were aged between 16 and 68 years. The frequency of positivity for HbsAg, anti-Hbs, and anti-Hbe, anti-Hbc and anti-HCV antibody was 5.5, 20.8, 2.8, 16.6 and 1.4% respectively. At the same time, HbsAg and anti-HCV positivity were 8.5 and 0.95% in blood donors. We can say that morbidity and prognosis may be affected by hepatitis infection. Infections of hepatitis B and C have to be evaluated in patients with GN, especially in endemic areas. In our study group the frequencies of HbsAg positivity and anti-HCV positivity were not higher in patients with GN than in blood donors.