Hepatitis markers in children with acute leukemia and non-hodgkin's lymphoma

50 children with malignant disease under chemotherapy: 23 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia [A.L.L.], 11 Acute non lymphoblastic leukemia [A.N.L.L.] and 16 with non Hodgkin's lymphoma [N.H.L.] were clinically examined, followed and tested for HBsAg, antiHBs, antiHBc, HBeAg, HCV antibody, HDV antibody and HIV1. Twenty control children of matched age and sex were tested for the same hepatitis markers. Hepatitis D virus is a circular RNA virus that requires the presence of HBV for successful infection. 19/23 [82.6 percent] patients with A.L.L. experienced viral hepatitis: 9 cases [39.1 percent] HBV, 3 cases [13 percent] HBV+ Delta, 2 cases [8.7 percent] HCV, 5 cases [21.7] HCV+HBV. In the A.N.L.L. 8/11 [72.7 percent] patients experienced viral hepatitis: 1 case [9.1 percent] HBV, 2 cases [18.2 percent] HBV+ Delta, 1 case [9.1 percent] HBV+ Delta+ HCV, 3 cases [27.3 percent] HCV and I case [9.1 percent] HCV+ HBV. In the N.H.L. group 10/16 [62.5 percent] were seropositive to different hepatitis markers: 3 cases [18.8 percent] HBV, 1 case [6.3 percent] HBV + Delta, 2 cases [12.5 percent] HBV + Delta + HCV, 2 cases [12.5 percent] HCV,2 cases [12.5 percent] HCV + HBV. The associated immunosuppression due to chemotherapy and the malignancy itself are responsible for this high percentage of hepatitis viruses infectivity. The strict control followed now in every blood bank in Egypt will decrease the hepatitis virus infections within the next coming years

efficacy of smaller dose of hepatitis B vaccine

The efficacy of two different doses [2.5 and 5meg] of Hepatitis B [Recombinant DNA] vaccine was tested in 20 healthy full term infants born to HBs Ag negative mothers. They were vaccinated at 0, 1 and 6 months. HBs antibody levels were measured using ELISA. technique in sera of mothers and, their corresponding infant prior to vaccination and repeated in infants 2 months after the last dose. The vaccine was well tolerated in either doses without local or systemic adverse reactions. The antibody response was comparable both in i:nmune infants born to HBs Ab positive mothers and non-immune ones born to HBs Ab negative mothers. HBs Ab level was 92.5 mlu/ml when the reduced dose [2.5 mcg] of the vaccine was given compared to 88.3 mlu/ml with 5 meg dose [P > 0.05] indicating comparable antibody response. We concluded that smaller doses of 2.5 meg could be used safely in mass vaccination of infants against hepatitis B infection

Role of HBV and HCV infections in Egyptian children and adolescents with chronic liver disease

Forty children and adolescent [28 males and 12 females] with ages from 2 to 18 years suffering of chronic liver disease [CLD] were clinically examined and tested for HBsAg, anti-HBs, Anti-HBC, HCV antibody and HIV[1]. Evaluation of the chronic liver disease was carried out by routine liver function tests, abdominal ultrasound, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and liver biopsy examination. Twenty control children of matched age and sex were also clinically examined and tested for the same serological markers. All, the patients [CLD] and controls were negative for HIV [1]. In the control group, all serological markers were negative except for one female patient [5 percent] positive for hepatitis C virus [HCV] antibodies. Sixteen patients with CLD [40 percent] showed evidence of hepatitis B virus [HBV] infection, HCV or both: 6 cases [15 percent] were positive for HBV markers, 6 cases [15 percent] positive for HCV antibodies, 4 cases [10 percent] positive for both HBV markers and HCV antibodies. 9 out of 16 seropositive cases had evidence of schistosomiasis so there is statistically significant higher frequency of schistosomiasis among sero positives for HBV markers and HCV as compared to seronegative. Also there is a higher frequency of a positive history of transfusion among seropositive patients as compared to seronegative; however the difference has not proved to be statistically significant. The role of hepatitis C virus, [HCV] may be additive in the causation of chronic liver disease. Because of the increase in hepatitis B infection, the strategy of controlling this disease by vaccination must be established