PREVALENCE OF HBSAG AND ANTI HCV IN MULTITRANSFUSED THALASSEMIC CHILDREN IN DISTRICT SWAT

Abstract

Background: Patients with thalassemia major are treated conventionally with multiple transfusions and are
at a risk of developing Transfusion Transmitted Infections including Hepatitis B virus (HbsAg) and HCVhepatitis (Anti HCV). Strict criteria of safe donor selection have to be adopted in order to minimize the risk
of infections. The present study was carried out to estimate the real frequency of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and
hepatitis C virus (HCV) in (3 -Thalassemia patients of district Swat, and to determine the infectionassociated risk factors in these patients. A prospective study was conducted in a dedicated six beds chamber
for these patients in the department of Child Health Saidu Teaching Hospital Saidu Sharif Swat from June
2010 to June 2012.
Methods: This study was carried out on 250 multitransfused thalassemia major patients. They were
screened for hepatitis B surface antigen(HbsAg) and antihepatitis C virus antibodies (anti-HCV antibodies)
by Enzyme Linked immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The patient's age ranged from 2 years to 21 years.
Majority of the patients included in the study had received more than 10 transfusions. The males were 162
(64.8%) and the females were 88 (35.2%)
Results: Out of the 250 patients 27(11%) were positive for HbsAg and 93(37%) were positive for anti HCV
antibodies. Most of these patients have been transfused at home with unscreened blood during the days of
unrest in the area, during which it was not possible to take their children to hospital for blood transfusion.
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HCV and HBV infections are very high among (3-thalassemic patients,
which calls for a critical look into the prevailing transfusion practices and Adoption of stricter donor
selection criteria to decrease the prevalence of both HCV and HBV infections effectively. It should be made
sure that no transfusion should be done at home to avoid the transmission of these infections due to
unscreened blood. In order to achieve the goal of decreasing the prevalence of HBV it should also be made
sure that no child is left unvaccinated against Hepatitis B.
Keywords: HbsAg,Anti-HCV antibodies; Thalassemia major; Safe blood transfusion