High prevalence of anti-HCV and HTLV-1 antibodies in thalassmia-Major patients of southern Iran

ABSTRACT

Ninety patients with beta thalassemia major who had received washed or packed red blood cells for more than five years were screened for the existence of specific antibodies against hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg], hepatitis C virus [HCV], human T lymphotropic virus-1 [HTLV-1], hepatitis B core antigen [HBcAg], and human immunodeficiency virus-1 and 2 [HIV-1 and 2]. Whereas 23 out of 90 patients [25.55%] were positive for HTLV-1 antibody, none were positive for HIV-1 and 2 specific antibodies. Moreover, only one case [1.1%] was positive for HBsAg, while 16 out of 90 patients [17.8%] were positive for antibody against HBcAg. Screening of these sera for anti-HCV antibody showed a large number of patients with anti-HCV antibody [68.5%]. Routine blood screening for HCV and HTLV-1 is also suggested