title: [Prevalence of hepatitis A antibodies in polytransfused thalassemic patients].
abstract: Chronic liver disease in polytransfused thalassemic patients is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The genesis is multiform: haemosiderosis and virus infections, resulting from repeated transfusions, may play an important role. Since HAV infection could make greatly worse the prognosis, in order to evaluate the opportunity of the HAV vaccination in polytransfused thalassemic patients, we studied the prevalence of HAV infection by detection of anti HAV antibodies (IgG) (enzyme immunoassay competitive technique) in 75 thalassemic patients (36 males, 39 females, aged 21.1 +/- 9.6, mean +/- SD). Fourty-two patients (56%) were HCV positive with persistent increase of transaminases. Eight patients were HAV antibodies positive (10.6%); the prevalence was 2.7% in patients aged 1 to 19 years, 11.4% in patients aged 20-39 years and 100% over 40 years of age. No differences were observed between sexes. Five out of fourty-two patients HCV positive were HAV antibodies positive (11.9%). In conclusion, in order to reduce further the incidence of liver infections in polytransfused thalassemic patients, we recommend an active immunization for HAV.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di talassemia, Azienda Ospedaliera Umberto I di Siracusa, Italia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mangiagli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies
vernacular_title: Prevalenza degli anticorpi antiepatite A nei pazienti talassemici politrasfusi.