title: Hepatitis B and A markers in children with thalassaemia and sickle-cell disease in Riyadh.
abstract: Sera from 40 children with beta-thalassaemia major, 54 children with sickle-cell disease and 120 matched controls were examined by radio-immunoassay for hepatitis B and A markers. The overall prevalence of hepatitis B virus markers was highest in children with thalassaemia followed by children with sickle-cell disease and lowest in the control group. The hepatitis A marker showed a reversed pattern, being lowest in the thalassaemic group. The high incidence of hepatitis B infection was presumably due to frequent blood transfusions, frequent exposure to hospital environment and the high carrier rate in the community. Frequent blood transfusions, however, seem to protect against hepatitis A virus infection.
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000209:etiology; D035921:Hepatitis A Antigens; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D035921:Hepatitis A Antigens; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G