Evaluation of infectious disease markers in multitransfused Egyptian children with thalassemia.
In an attempt to evaluate blood supply safety and the potential effect of the screening tests performed in our center, the frequency of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody were evaluated among multi- transfused Egyptian children with thalassemia. Samples from 200 children with β thalassemia were tested for HCV antibody, HBsAg, and HIV-1 and 2 antibodies. ELISA was used for all tests. HCV positive samples were confirmed by RT-PCR. The study included 96 males and 104 females. Their mean age was 9.2±4.5. Forty-eight patients were positive for HCV antibody (24%); all were confirmed positive by PCR. Four HCV-positive patients were also HBsAg-positive. Six patients (3%) were HBsAg-positive. No patient was HIV-positive. Older ages were significantly associated with an increased incidence of positive infectious markers (p<0.05). The frequency of HCV infection is considerably high among Egyptian children with thalassemia. It is therefore important to implement measures to improve blood transfusion screening; nucleic acid testing, which could help reduce transmission of HCV during the window period, should be considered.
6 Hussein Elezaby st, from Higazy, Cairo Alexandria desert road, Cairo, Egypt; phone: 0112-01001549621; fax: 011202-23689683; e mail: eimanhussein@ymail.com.
Eiman
E
Hussein
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*
D015415:Biomarkers; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens