FREQUENCY OF HEPATITIS B AND HEPATITIS C IN MULTITRANSFUSED BETA THALASSAEMIA MAJOR PATIENTS IN DISTRICT SWAT

BACKGROUND: Beta thalassaemia major is the commonest inherited as autosomal recessive disorder inPakistan. Almost all patients beta thalassaemia major require blood transfusion within the first two years oflife to prevent severe anaemia and its physical consequences. Due to repeated blood transfusions hepatitis Band hepatitis C infections can occur in these patients. To document the prevalence and frequency of hepatitisB & hepatitis C in multi transfused beta Thalassemia major patients in our set up.STUDY DESIGN:Aprospective descriptive study.PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The study was conducted in thalassaemia care center A1 FajarFoundation Blood Transfusion ServicesSwat from 1-1-2012 to 31-12-2012.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Study was carried on 170 multi transfused thalassaemia major patientswho were registered with A1 Fajar Foundation Swat, irrespective of age, sex, time of diagnosis. Only thosepatients were included in the study who had received so far more than 10 transfusions. They were screenedfor hepatitis B and C by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The subjects were in the agesrange of 2-15 year,with 94 (55.29%) male and 76 (94:71%) female.RESULTS: Out of these 10 patients (5.88%) were found to have hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)positive and 37 patients (21.76%) hepatitis C virus(HCV) antibody positive.CONCLUSION: In spite of the fact that screened blood is used for transfusions, still a large number ofpatients have been found infected with hepatitis B and C. It has been recommended that properly screenedbloods using a reliable and accurate method are used for screening of blood to prevent transfusiontransmitted diseases. It can be avoided by giving screened safe blood.KEYWORDS: Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C,Thalassaemia Major,Transfusion