Prevalence of hepatitis B, C and HIV in hemophiliac patients of East Azarbaijan in 2004

Background and objectivesDue to frequent tranfusion of blood components, hemophiliac patients have been exposed to a wide range of blood-borne viruses, among which the human immune deficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have had a considerable impact on their life. Prior to the introduction of virus-inactivation methods in 1985, almost all treated hemophiliacs had been infected with HCV transmited by factor concentrates, and in most countries almost 50% of hemophiliacs had also been infected with HIV. Materials and Methods 162 patients with inherited coagulation disorders including 113 hemophilia A and 17 hemophilia B patients living in East Azarbaijan participated in this observational study. The patients started to be tested for anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and HBs-Ag in 2003. Demographic information were gathered through questionnaires and some other information was taken from patient's medical records. ResultsAmong 113 hemophilia A and 17 hemophilia B patients, 63 (56%) and 9 (53%) were seropoitive for HCV-Ab respectively. The youngest patient who was seropositive for HCV-Ab was eleven years old, and his first blood transfusion occurred in 1993. No child under the age of 10 was HCV positive; in other words, there was no case of HCV in 1995 (P<0.001). In hemophilia A group one patient (0.9%) was seropositive for HIV and 3 (2.7%) were seropositive for HBs-Ag. HCV status was also related to baseline factor activity level. In more severely affected patients of both group A and B (< 1% factor activity), the prevalence of HCV was 75%. ConclusionsHemophiliac patients born after 1995 have no evidence of HIV infection. Only one patient (0.9%) was seropositive for HIV and in this respect our province as compared with other countries is in a good condition.