Prevelance of hepatitis C Viral Infections among Thalassaemic Patients in Thi -Qar Governorate

Abstract

A prospective study was conducted on 305 patients with Thalassemia who were attending to the center of inherited blood diseases in Nassiryia city from the penod of 1 / 7 / 1997 to 30/9/2009 . Elisa test was used to study the prove lance of hepatitis among Thalassaemic children . Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 72 ( 23.6 % ) patients , 47(65%)males and 25(35%)females. The frequency of cases was correlated with increasing age. There was a positive correlation between frequency of blood Transfusion / year and the increased incidence of infection with HCV . Splenectomy was done in 80 ( 26.2 % ) patients 28 ( 3S % ) of them had positive anti-HCV antibodies in their sera . We concluded that our Thalassemic patients are exposed to HCV infection .Careful, regular screening of blood unit for HCV should be established .