Spectrum of viral hepatitis in thalassemic children receiving multiple blood transfusions.
Article
in English
| IMSEAR
| ID: sea-64968
ABSTRACT
AIM:
To investigate the prevalence of infection with hepatitis viruses in children with thalassemia receiving multiple blood transfusions.METHODS:
Sera from 50 children with thalassemia aged 5-15 years (30 boys), who had each received over 80 units of blood, were evaluated for the presence of markers for hepatitis A virus (HAV; IgG and IgM anti-HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV; HBsAg, and IgG and IgM anti-HBc), hepatitis C virus (HCV; IgG and IgM anti-HCV, and HCV RNA) and hepatitis E virus (HEV; IgG and IgM anti-HEV). IgM anti-hepatitis D virus (HDV) was looked for only in HBsAg or IgM anti-HBc positive sera.RESULTS:
No child had evidence of recent HAV or HDV infection. IgG anti-HAV was positive in 12 children. One patient had acute HBV infection. Nine patients were HBsAg-positive. HCV infection was present in 15 cases; six of them were HCV RNA positive, and three had superinfection with hepatitis B. Recent HEV infection was present in 5 cases.CONCLUSION:
Thalassemic patients receiving multiple blood transfusions often acquire hepatitis B (20%) and C (30%) infections. Recent hepatitis E infection was documented in 10% in this one-point study.
Full text:
Available
Index:
IMSEAR (South-East Asia)
Main subject:
Thalassemia
/
Blood Transfusion
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Child
/
Child, Preschool
/
Hepatitis B virus
/
Cross-Sectional Studies
/
Adolescent
/
Hepatitis E virus
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prevalence study
/
Risk factors
Language:
English
Year:
2002
Type:
Article
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS