Prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus infections among hemophilia patients in Shiraz, south of Iran

Abstract

Transfusion-transmitted viral infections, including hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections continue to be a major challenge in hemophilia patient. This study was conducted to assess the seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV infections among Iranian hemophilia patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 580 hemophilia patients (mean age ± SD = 27.11 ± 14.9) referred to the Namazi hospital, Shiraz University of medical sciences, Shiraz, Iran during July 2012 to August 2015. Blood samples were taken from the patients and tested for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to HBV surface antigen (anti-HBs), antibody to HBV core antigen (anti-HBc), anti-HCV antibody (HCVAb), and anti-HIV antibody (HIVAb). The association of HBV, HCV, and HIV infections with age, sex, type of hemophilia (A or B), severity of hemophilia, blood group system, history of blood transfusion, and surgery were statistically analyzed using SPSS software and chi-square/Fisher exact tests. The seroprevalence of HCVAb and HBsAg were 11.4 % (66/ 580) and 0.2 % (1/580), respectively. None of the hemophilia patients were positive for HIV antibody. There was a significant association between HCV seropositivity and age (P < 0.001), severity of hemophilia (P < 0.0001), and history of blood transfusion (P = 0.050). It seems that strategies for prevention of HBV and HIV infections have been successful in south of Iran, but HCV is still a major infection of concern in multi-transfused patients.

First Report of Prevalence of Blood-Borne Viruses (HBV, HCV, HIV, HTLV-1 and Parvovirus B19) Among Hemophilia Patients in Afghanistan

“…Also because of compulsory anti-HCV screening in blood units since 1996, the transmission of HCV in Iranian hemophilia patients has reduced remarkably. Such that there was no HCV detected in Iranian hemophilia patients born in Shiraz from 2001 to 2010 20 . The anti-HCV prevalence in Pakistanis hemophilia also varies from 25% in children in Peshawar 21 to 56% in Lahore 22 .…”

“…This is in agreement with hemophilia population in Pakistan 12,24 and most cities in Iran 14,16 . Low seropositivity of HIV in these populations could be as a result of screening of donated blood units since 1990 20 .…”