losartan-potassium and Herpes-Zoster

Hepatitis C virus infection in chronic hemodialysis patients is associated with several unresolved problems. We report a 85 years old female patient in chronic hemodialysis and treated with erythropoietin, that during the course of an Herpes zoster, presented severe malaise, weight loss and muscle weakness. Two weeks later, a slight rise in serum transaminases was detected. The patient had negative antibodies for HIV and hepatitis C virus and negative hepatitis B surface antigen. A PCR test was positive for serum hepatitis C virus RNA. The patient's condition deteriorated and she died 7 days after admission. Erythropoietin administration, whose immunosuppressive effect has been reported previously, could have influenced the dismal outcome of this patient.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Erythropoietin; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatitis C; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Renal Dialysis; Renal Insufficiency; Transfusion Reaction; Viremia