Detection of HCV RNA in saliva of Egyptian children receiving frequent blood transfusions

Hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection is considered a major public health problem allover the world, especially Egypt. Blood is almost the only route for HCV diagnosis. It has been reported that HCV could be detected in other body fluids including saliva which represents an easier route than blood especially in infants and children. This study aimed to: 1] Assess the prevalence of HCV infection among high risk group of Egyptian children. 2] Evaluate the detection of HCV antibodies [anti-HCV] and HCV RNA in saliva against their detection in serum among HCV positive children. This study included 200 children [92 males and 108 females] who were attendants of Haematology Clinic at Abu El-Reish Hospital, Cairo University, for receiving frequent blood transfusions. Serum and saliva samples were analyzed for detection of anti-HCV by ELISA technique and for HCV RNA by a home made RT-PCR method. Liver function tests were performed also. Results of serum samples revealed that 134/200 [67%] children were anti-HCV seropositive, out of them 79/134 [59%] children had HCV RNA in their sera. Saliva samples of HCV infected children [n=79] showed that 53/79 [67.1%] and 31/79 [39.2%] were anti-HCV and HCV RNA positive respectively. Prevalence of HCV infection was 39.5% of 200 studied children [67% of 134 anti-HCV positive children]. It could conclude that: 1] Prevalence of HCV infection among the studied children is considered high. 2] Saliva could play a possible role of biological fluids as a non parenteral route of intrafamilial spread of HCV infection. 3] More sensitive techniques could be developed to use saliva as a reliable route for HCV detection

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus, types I and II infection among blood bank donors

The epirdemiology of HTLV-I/II is poorly understood allover the world, there is no any published paper with regard to the seroprevalence of HTLV-I/Il in Egypt Screening blood donors for antibodies to HTLV-I/II in our locality and their association with other pathogenic blood born viruses. we examined 176 blood donors for HTLV-I/II antibodies HBsAg. anti -HBc, anti -HCV and ALT level Among blood donors, 3.4% were HTLV-I/II positive The seropositivity did not increase significantly with age, but it was more in the fourth decade. No one female was HTLV-I/II Positive. There was no significant difference between rural and urban blood donors. The blood donors with high ALT level wet-c significantly [P<0.0001] more likely to be HTLV-I/II seropositive There was also significant association of HTLV-I/II seropositivity with HCV infection [P<0.05], while, there was no significant association wit h HBV infection. The high infection rate [3.4%] among blood donor papulation and its significant association with HCV and high ALT represent evidences for the need for routine blood screening for HTL V-I/II as a means of reducing viral transmission and subsequent evidence of HTLV related illnesses. Those seropositive must be deferred. The use of high efficiency filters can significantly reduce post-transfusion HTLV-I/II infection from random blood donors