Detection of molecular markers of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in thalassemic patients referring to Shafa hospital

Since thalassemic patients receive continuously blood and its products, they are in high risk to acquiring various transfusion-transmitted viral infections, such as hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), human immunodeficiency (HIV). Nowadays, one of the major hygienic problems in thalassemic patients is to reduce and control these viral infections effectively. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV DNA, HCV RNA, and HIV RNA among thalassemic patients. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 206 thalassemic patients referred to the Hemoglubinopathy and Thalassemia Center of Ahvaz Shapha Hospital during October 2005 to February 2006. Demography data and results of HBsAg, Anti-HCV and Anti-HIV serologic tests were collected from the patients, files at hospital. HBV DNA was detected with specific set of primer for core region. Furthermore HCV RNA and HIV RNA had been tested by using specific primers for 5´-UTR and gag regions, respectively. The results were analyzed using chi-square test.Out of 206 patients 97 (47.1%) and 109 (52.9%) were men and women respectively, with mean age of 16 ± 6.42 years. Forty six (22.3%, 95% CI: 17.1-28.5) individuals were positive for HCV RNA. Non of the patients were positive for HBV DNA and HIV RNA. There was significant positive relationship between prevalence of HCV RNA positivity with mean age (P<0.001), duration of blood transfusion (P<0.001), and number of transfusions (P<0.01). It can be concluded the incidence of HCV is rather high among thalassemia patients of Khuzestan province of Iran. More stringent and sensitive screening program of donated bloods in order to reduce the incidence of viral infections, specially HCV, is mandatory.