Prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies in multitransfused patients with beta-thalassemia

Abstract

AIM:To detect the prevalence of anti-HAV IgG antibodies in adult multitransfused beta-thalassemic patients. METHODS:We studied 182 adult beta-thalassemic patients and 209 controls matched for age and sex from the same geographic area, at the same time. Anti-HAV IgG antibodies, viral markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were evaluated. RESULTS:Anti-HAV IgG antibodies were detected more frequently in thalassemic patients (133/182; 73.1%) than in healthy controls (38/209; 18.2%, P < 0.0005). When we retrospectively evaluated the prevalence of anti-HAV IgG antibodies in 176/182 (96.7%) thalassemic patients, whose medical history was available for the previous ten years, it was found that 83 (47.2%) of them were continuously anti-HAV IgG positive, 16 (9.1%) acquired anti-HAV IgG antibody during the previous ten years, 49 (27.8%) presented anti-HAV positivity intermittently and 28 (15.9%) were anti-HAV negative continuously. CONCLUSION:Multitransfused adult beta-thalassemic patients present higher frequency of anti-HAV IgG a n t i b o d i e s t h a n n o r m a l p o p u l a t i o n o f t h e s a m e geographic area. This difference is difficult to explain, but it can be attributed to the higher vulnerability of thalassemics to HAV infection and to passive transfer of anti-HAV antibodies by blood transfusions.

The Seroprevalence of Entrically Transmitted Viral Hepatitis in HCV Infected Thalassemia and Hemophilia Patients in Iran

“…No data exists that immune deficiency predispose to HAV infection (11); this seems to be a probable reason for the fact that multitransfusion influences on getting HAV infection. Another possibility is that in thalassemia patients anti HAV IgG might have been transferred passively by means of transfusions and not the expression of actively acquired immunity (11). In addition, high concentration of antibod-ies in plasma preparations of multiple donors assists the passive transmission of antibodies in hemophilia patients (11).…”

“…Another possibility is that in thalassemia patients anti HAV IgG might have been transferred passively by means of transfusions and not the expression of actively acquired immunity (11). In addition, high concentration of antibod-ies in plasma preparations of multiple donors assists the passive transmission of antibodies in hemophilia patients (11). In overall, potential transfusion of HAV-specific antibodies to the recipient of multiple blood units, and rising seroprevalence to HAV with age significantly reduce risk of post-transfusion hepatitis A.…”