Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
This work presents estimation to the number of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among polytransfused leukemic children, who received chemotherapy.
METHODS:
A total of 88 serum specimens were collected from children with leukemia aged between 1-12 years (60 males and 28 females), attending Al-Mansoor Teaching Hospital, seen during the period from January to October 2004 to determine if the patients with childhood leukemia are at high risk for transfusion- transmitted HBV and HCV infections. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test was used to determined infected and non infected individuals.
RESULTS:
Out of the 88 children studied, Hbs Ag was detected in 18 (20.45%) including 12 (66.6%) males and 6 (33.3%) females, whereas anti HCV was detected only in 4 (4.54%) children including 3 (75%) males and 1 (25%) female. The peak prevalence of HBV infection was recorded in children of age 9-12 years and reached (23.33%) while in HCV the peak prevalence was in age group (6-9), being (66.6).
CONCLUSION:
In this study, the prevalence of anti HCV and Hbs Ag were high in patients who were treated for children leukemia. The high incidence of hepatitis infections was recorded in polytransfused leukemic children.