Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, Cytomegalovirus, and Human Immunodeficiency Viruses in Multitransfused Thalassemic Children in Upper Egypt

Abstract

Background. Frequent blood transfusions in thalassemia major children expose them to the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) in thalassemic children attending the Pediatrics Departments of both Sohag and Minia Universities of Upper Egypt, during the period from May 2014 to May 2015. Methods. Serum samples were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HCV, anti-CMV, and anti-HIV type 1 and type 2 using the Vitek Immunodiagnostic Assay System. Results. The frequencies of anti-HCV, HBsAg, anti-CMV, and anti-HIV type 1 and type 2 were found to be 37.11%, 4.12%, 4.12%, 0.00%, and 0.00%, respectively. Seropositivity for anti-HCV, HBsAg, and anti-CMV increased with increasing age of the patients, duration of the disease, serum ferritin level (ng/mL), and liver enzymes (U/L), while it was not significantly associated with gender, frequency of blood transfusion, or the status of splenectomy operation (P > 0.05). Conclusion. The frequency of TTIs, especially HCV, is considerably high among Egyptian children with thalassemia major. It is therefore important to implement measures to improve blood transfusion screening, such as polymerase chain reaction, in order to reduce TTIs from blood donor units.

The Current Status of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Prevalence in the MENA Region: A Systematic Review

“…Furthermore, Mahmoud et al showed that frequent blood transfusions among thalassemic children in Upper Egypt exposed them to a higher risk of transfusion-transmitted infections, including CMV. In this study, high rates of CMV infections were reported in children receiving a blood transfusion, and the infection was positively correlated with increasing age and the duration of the thalassemia [55]. These high rates of CMV infections are attributed to the high CMV seroprevalence among blood donors in Egypt, as reported by Gawad et al In their study, 96.6% of blood donors (out of 88 tested blood samples) were CMV seropositive [56].…”

Paediatric chronic hepatitis B virus infection: are children too tolerant to treat?

“…After more than two decades of obligatory HB virus vaccines, perinatal transmission became the most common risk factor for chronic HB infections in Egypt . Blood transfusions are not considered a major risk for HB virus transmission and these were only reported in just 3–4% of multi‐transfused Egyptian thalassaemic children .…”

The Prevalence of HBsAg, Anti-HCV, and Anti-HBc in Patients With β-Thalassemia Referred to Blood Banking Department of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Northeast of Iran

“…Patients with β-thalassemia major need regular blood transfusion, as well as iron chelating agent in order to have a normal life (1). It is more common in the Mediterranean and tropical regions near the equator in Asia and Africa (2). Thalassemia disorders are classified into three categories as minor, intermediate, and major.…”