| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
|
| Year : 2012 | Volume
: 6
| Issue : 2 | Page : 151-154 |
|
|
A prospective study for prevalence and/or development of transfusion-transmitted infections in multiply transfused thalassemia major patients
Roopam Jain1, Jim Perkins2, Susan T Johnson3, P Desai4, Anil Khatri5, U Chudgar6, N Choudhury7
1 Department of Pathology, R D Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, India
2 ENH Blood centre, Evanstan Hospital, Chicago, USA
3 Blood Centre of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
4 Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India
5 Jeevandeep Hospital and Thalassemia Jagruti Foundation, Ahmedabad, India
6 Prathama Blood Centre, Kolkata, India
7 Tata Medical Center, Rajarhat, Kolkata, India
Correspondence Address:
Roopam Jain
Transfusion Services, Department of Pathology, R. D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0973-6247.98919
|
|
|
Objective: To evaluate the rate of seropositivity to hepatitis B and C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections among children with β-thalassemia major receiving multiple transfusions in Ahmedabad, India, compared with healthy controls. Materials and Methods: The study was performed during January 2007 to January 2009 on multi-transfused children suffering with β-thalassemia major registered in the Prathama Blood Centre, Ahmedabad; Jeevandeep hospital, Ahmedabad; and Red Cross Blood Centre, Ahmedabad, and investigated for the prevalence and development of transfusion-transmitted infections. Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg), anti-Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Antibodies (Ab), and HIV Ab were checked using a fourth-generation Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Positive tests were confirmed by western blots. Healthy blood donors were used for the control group. Results: Hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-HCV Ab, and HIV Ab were positive in one of 96 (1.04%; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.17-1.3), 24 of 96 (25%; 95% CI = 11.4-14.2), and one of 96 (1.04%; 95% CI = 0.12-1.3), respectively. The rate of anti-HCV Ab was significantly higher in multi-transfused children suffering with β-thalassemia major. In thalassemia patients, the rate of positive anti-HCV Ab was significantly higher than that for positive HBsAg (P<0.001) and HIV Ab (P<0.001). Conclusion: It is concluded that HCV is the current major problem in multi-transfused children with thalassemia major and more careful pretransfusion screening of blood for anti-HCV must be introduced in blood centers. |
|
|
|
| [FULL TEXT] [PDF]* |
|
 |
|
