Hepatitis C Virus infection in Saudi Arab patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the current study is to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in Saudi Arab patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.


METHODS
Fifty-six unselected Saudi Arab patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were tested for the presence of Hepatitis C virus antibodies using Elisa immunoabsorbant assay 2.0. Positive and indeterminate results were subjected to confirmatory testing using RIBA-Hepatitis C virus 2.0. Two control groups were utilized for comparison; the first is a group of randomly selected general medical patients and healthy blood donors; and the 2nd is a cohort of patients with hematological neoplasms other than B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Patients with previous history of blood transfusion or liver disease were excluded from the study.


RESULTS
Twelve of the 56 B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients (21%) tested positive for Hepatitis C virus antibodies. Only 3 out of 104 (3%) and 2 out of 41 (5%) patients tested positive for Hepatitis C virus antibodies in the first and 2nd control groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate a higher prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in Saudi Arab patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma than in the control groups. The prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in the 2 control groups, in turn, seems to fall within the estimated prevalence in the general population.
Harakati
M S
MS
Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine (1443), King Fahad National Guard Hospital, PO Box 22490, Riyadh 11426, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abualkhair
O A
OA
Al-Knawy
B A
BA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology