Hepatitis C virus in thalassemia patients in TIKRIT

Abstract

A  cross-sectional   study  performed   on  50  patients(60%    were  females   and  40%  were   males)  with thalassemia  major who attend thalassemia  clinic  at Tikrit  teaching  hospital  for regular  blood transfusions to  determine  the frequency  of HCV  infection  and studying  the effects  of that  infection  on liver function and its relation  to blood  transfusions  and iron status. Demographic   data were obtained  from patients  files with  results  of antibody  testing  for HCV and samples  of blood  were  sent for serum  iron level  and liver enzymes.  Out  of 50  thalassemia  patients,  10% of them  had positive  anti-HCV  antibody,  their age  range 17.34  years.  Eighty   percent   of  seronegative   and  66%   of  seropositive   patients   were  received   blood transfusion at a rate more than 100 times. It was shown that 60% of patients with positive anti-HCV had abnormal liver function tests although this not significant statistically as compared with those of negative results for HCV. Patients  with positive  HCV and elevated  iron level constitute about 80%, and 88% for those with sronegative results and high serum iron. As well as 72% of total patients had both elevated both the iron level and liver enzymes. It has been concluded that the risk of infection with HCV was significantly increased with older age groups and with the frequency of transfusions.