Untitled

Abstract

In this study, we tested 137 Turkish children with cancer (51 with acute leukemia, 48 with lymphoma, 38 with solid tumors) while they were undergoing chemotherapy, and a control group of 45 for evidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The control group included children with other disease who had applied to the outpatient clinic during the study period and had no history of jaundice or transfusion. Sixty-five (47.4%) patients with cancer and 7 (20%) children in the control group were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (p < 0.01). HBV DNA was detected in 59 (43.1%) patients and in 9 (20%) controls (p < 0.01). HCV specific antibody (anti-HCV) was detected in 8 (5.8%) patients and in 1 (2.2%) control (p > 0.05). Eight patients (5.8%) had circulating HCV RNA, but none had in the control group (p = 0.09). Ten (13.9%) of the 72 patients who were negative for HBsAg had circulating HBV DNA, and 7 (5.4%) of the 129 patients who were negative for anti-HCV had circulating HCV RNA. We concluded that HBV and HCV infections are common among Turkish children with cancer. In countries where HBV infection is widespread among the general population as in Turkey, children with cancer are under greater risk for HBV infection.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B and C among Oncology Patients in Turkey

“…reported that a higher seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among paediatric patients with cancer (17). Topeli et al .…”

Prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders

“…Yenice et al [11] uncovered a higher prevalence of anti-HCV relative to controls in patients with B-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin's lymphoma. Kocabaş et al [12] found a higher pervalence of HCV in patients with acute leukemia, lymphoma and solid tumors. However, Isikdogan et al [13] found no association in 119 NHL patients.…”

“…However, studies on the role of HBV infection in lymphoproliferative diseases are limited, and relatively few of these have been conducted in Turkey. Altıntaş et al [24] and Kocabaş et al [12] revealed a higher prevalence of HBV in NHL and Hodgkin's lymphoma patients. In 1991, Olatunji et al [25] identified a higher prevalence relative to controls in Nigeria.…”

The Risk of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Multitransfused Children with Hematological Diseases

“…In our study, anti HCV positivity was determined as 1.4%. In Turkey, HCV seroprevalence was reported as 4.5% in patients with thalassemia and sickle cell anemia who were receiving multiple transfusions, 5.8% in children with cancerincluding acute leukemia and 24.4% in children with hemophilia (19)(20)(21).…”