title: Transfusion transmitted diseases in haemophilics from western India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transfusion related human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections have been a major cause for morbidity and mortality in the haemophilic population in the west. The prevalence of these markers of transfusion transmitted viral diseases in severe and moderate haemophilia patients was studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  The seropositivity for these viral markers was evaluated in 400 haemophilics (323 severe and 77 moderate) in a 5-year survey starting from 1995. First 188 of these patients were also tested for HCV. Serological tests for HIV, HBsAg and HCV were done by third generation ELISA; positive samples were also confirmed by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen of the 400 patients were found to be HIV positive (3.8%), 24/400 were HBsAg positive (6%) and 45/188 (23.9%) were positive for HCV (28 for both non-structural and core antigen, 13 for core only and 4 for non-structural antigen only). The lowest age of HIV positivity was 12 yr and that of HCV positivity was 8 yr.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The above study shows a reduction in blood product related HIV transmission in severe and moderately affected haemophilics but more stringent policy for blood product usage, universal hepatitis C screening, hepatitis B vaccination and continuous awareness programmes for medical staff, general public and patients is needed to reduce the incidence of these diseases in haemophilics.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunohaematology (ICMR), Mumbai.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pawar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chipkar
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pujari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madkaikar
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Pathare
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jijina
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mohanty
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065227:Transfusion Reaction