The Prevalence of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Human Immune Deficiency Virus Markers in Multi-transfused Patients

Abstract

All patients presenting with hereditary hemolytic anemia, (n = 143) over a period of 18 months were enrolled in a study to evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV in multi-transfused patients in Jordan, and to identify possible related risk factors. All patients were treated in the Thalassemia Unit at Princess Rahma Teaching Hospital. Relevant clinical data were collected. Blood specimens were taken from these patients and tested for HbsAg, HbsAb, hepatitis core IgMAb, hepatitis core IgGAb, HCVAb, and ELISA for HIV. Fifty-eight (40.5 per cent) of the specimens were HCVAb positive, while only five (3.5 per cent) of them were positive for HBsAg. None of the specimens were positive for HIV. The frequency of blood transfusion and the time of diagnosis before or after 1995, were investigated as possible risk factors for viral seropositivity. Only the time of diagnosis was a statistically significant risk factor for HCVAb positivity (OR = 4.49; p = 0.005). In conclusion, hepatitis C acquisition is a serious risk for multi-transfused patients in Jordan. Hepatitis B is relatively less common. Blood screening initiated after 1995 in Jordan has significantly reduced the risk of hepatitis C associated with blood transfusion.

Prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection in repeatedly transfused thalassemics in a tertiary care hospital in eastern India

“…The prevalence rate of seropositivity increases with the number of transfusions. 15 However, since no vaccine is so far available against hepatitis C, the only effective protective measure against this virus is provision of HCV negative blood for transfusion in thalassemia patients. 16 The aims of this study include to determine the prevalence of HCV and HBV seropositivity amongst multiple-transfused thalassemia major patients in our setup and to judge the effectiveness of our current screening system for detection of these viruses in donor blood samples prior to transfusion.…”

Transfusion Transmitted Hepatitis B Virus among Multitransfused Thalassaemic Children in a Tertiary Health Care Centre in Bangladesh

“…9 But the result of our observation is higher than that reported from other countries, where this ranged from 0.53% to 3.5%. 5 Studies conducted in early 1990s in India showed a much higher prevalence of HBsAg ranging from 22% to 45%. 10 The differences in the results may be due to various factors such as (1) the sensitivity of ELISA, (2) the absence of HBsAg during the window phase and the convalescent phase, (3) very low levels of viremia, (4) effectiveness of screening programmes of blood and (5) the immune status o f r e cipient of multiple transfusions.…”

“…Unlike our study, Alsheyyab et al reported 3.5% HBeAg and 22% anti-HBe positivity among Arabian children suffering from hereditary haemolytic anemia. 5 Positive HBeAg indicates that the virus replicates, encodes and infects liver cells when it remains highly infectious. 14 On the other hand anti-HBe antibody indicates seroconversion and appearance of anti-HBe is a strong evidence that the patient will recover.…”

Seroprevalance of hepatitis-c infection in multi-transfused thalassemic children: study from a West Indian tertiary care center

“…5 Prevalence studies have found that common infections occurring in thalassemic patients are Hepatitis C (2.2%-44%), followed by Hepatitis B (1.2%-7.4%) and HIV (0%-9%). 6 There is a paucity of studies of prevalence of hepatitis C in multi -transfused thalassemic patients in this region, and thus we conducted this study.…”