Common transfusion-transmitted infectious agents among thalassaemic children in Bangladesh.

Transfusion-dependent children are more prone to acquiring various transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs), such as hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), HIV, and others. Since the magnitude of these infections among thalassaemic children in Bangladesh is not well-known, this study was conducted to assess the prevalence of TTIs among them (who received more than three blood transfusions) compared to their age- and sex-matched controls (non-thalassaemics and those who had never had a transfusion). Seromarkers for HBV, HCV, HDV, Treponema pallidum, and HIV were tested, and the results were analyzed using SPSS/Windows 10.5. Of 259 children studied, 152 (58.69%) were thalassaemic (mean age 6.8 +/- 3.6 years), and 107 were controls (mean age 6.7 +/- 3.53 years). The HBV and HCV-markers were found significantly more often among multi-transfused thalassaemic children than among the controls in terms of HBsAg (13.8% vs 6.5%, p < 0.04), anti-HBc total (39.5% vs 9.4%, p < 0.0001), and anti-HCV (12.5% vs 0.9%, p < 0.0001). HBeAg did not differ (p = 0.82) between the thalassaemics (9.52%) and the controls (14.28%), whereas anti-HBe differed (0% vs 57.14%, p < 0.003). Neither the thalassaemics nor the controls were positive for HDV, HIV, or T. pallidum. Since more thalassaemic children acquired hepatitis B and C infections through multiple blood transfusions, it is recommended that the safe blood-transfusion programme be strengthened and mass vaccination against HBV (even who suffer from HCV) in Bangladesh be undertaken.

Effect of deworming on nutritional status of ascaris infested slum children of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

This randomized double blind community trial was conducted on Ascaris infested children (n = 85) aged 2 to 12 years and was aimed to study the impact of deworming on nutritional status, in an urban slum of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The change of weight gain was significantly higher in children given anthelmintics than those given placebo (0.92 kg vs. 0.54 kg). A multiple linear regression model shows that after controlling sex, deworming and height were positively correlated while age and weight were negatively correlated with weight change.