Sero -prevalence of hepatitis C virus specific antibody among Iraqi hemophilia patients infected with HIV

ABSTRACT

Blood transfusion is a risk factor for acquiring Human immune deficiency virus and Hepatitis C virus infections. To estimate the sero-prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus infection among hemophilic patients infected with HIV and to demonstrate the most prevalent Hepatitis C Virus genotype. A sample of 47 HIV infected hemophilic patients was screened for anti-Hepatitis C Virus specific antibodies using a third generation enzyme immunoassay. Positive results were then confirmed by third generation immunoblot assay. Polymerase chain reaction and DNA enzyme immunoassay were performed to detect Hepatitis C Virus RNA positivity and subsequent genotyping. The sero-prevalence of anti Hepatitis C Virus - specific antibodies was 65.96%. Out of 31 HCV/HIV co infected patients, 21 [67.7%] were lacking history of blood transfusion. Four Hepatitis C Virus genotypes were detected [1a, 1b, 3a and mixed 3a and 4] with prevalence of 15.38%, 61.53%, 15.38% and 7.69% respectively. Hepatitis C Virus -1b was found to be the most frequent detected genotype among Hepatitis C Virus positive Iraqi hemophilic co-infected with HIV. Contaminated factor VIII was found to be responsible for disease acquisition