title: Prevalence of HBV and HCV among the multi-transfused beta thalassemic major patients in a day care centre of blood transfusion department of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.
abstract: Though regular blood transfusion improves the overall survival of patients with β-thalassemia which is one of the most common genetic diseases in the world, carries a definite risk of infection with blood-borne viruses. It is a major health problem, brings much morbidity, early mortality and a great deal of misery for a family both financially and emotionally. World Health Organization (WHO) reported that there is about 3% beta thalassemia carrier and more than two thousand thalassemic children are born every year in Bangladesh. We carried out this study to provide epidemiologic data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) & hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among β-thalassemic patients. Moreover, HBV & HCV infection-associated risk factors were investigated in this study. Two hundred patients with β-thalassemia major were enrolled in this study. Using Rapid Immuno-chromatographic Test and their sera were tested for HBsAg and HCVAb. The positive HBsAg & HCVAb results were confirmed by ELISA. The study sample 200 consisted of 165 males (82.5%) and 35 females (17.5%), with a mean±SD age of 5.9±9.0 years. Four (2%) patients were HCV-Ab positive; 13(6.5%) were HBsAg positive. Univariate analysis showed that (P=0.01), older age (P=0.001), longer transfusion duration (P=0.000), HBsAg seropositivity (P=0.03), and higher serum ferritin level (P=0.002) were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of HCV. Using multivariate analysis, age (P<0.001), serum ferritin level (P< 0.001) were independent factors associated with HCV infection. Improvement of the people's knowledge about TTI risk factors, blood screening strategies and HBV vaccination have led to a dramatically decrease in prevalence of TTIs particularly HBV during the last decades in Bangladesh.However, post-transfusion transmission of HCV has still remained a major health concern in multi-transfused patients. As the prevalence of HCV infection is much higher among β-thalassemic patients as compared with HBV infections routine screening of donated blood for HCV is highly recommended by ELISA.
authors.affiliation: Professor Pradipesh Chakrabarty, Professor, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Mymensingh Medical College (MMC), Mymensingh, Bangladesh; E-mail: drpcbabla@ yahoo.com.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chakrabarty
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rudra
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hossain
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology