The prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis C virus infection among thalassemic patients of Qazvin (2005)

Abstract Background: Beta-thalassemia major presents with a severe anemia and various complications. Thalassemia is a common disease in Iran and according to reports there are more than 25000 thalassemic patients throughout the country. Regular and multiple transfusions put these patients at increased risk of HCV infection and the majority of patients are prone to develop advanced form of chronic liver disease. Objective: To determine the prevalence of HCV infection among thalassemic patients of Qazvin in 2005 and also assessing the possible risk factor for HCV infection amongst these patients. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study performed on 207 multi-transfused patients with beta-thalassemia major in Qazvin. Initially, the data associated with possible risk factor was collected for each patient followed by testing blood samples for presence of Anti-HCV Ab, Anti-HBC Ab, and other serologic tests. Findings: Anti-HCV Ab was found in 54 patients (26.1%) by ELISA. Confirmation of positive samples were carried out using RIBA and 92% produced similar results and only 4 samples positive by ELISA (1.9%) turned to be negative by RIBA. Duration of disease, poor education, positive history of major surgery, history of transfusion after 1997, frequent transfusion, ageing, and high family member were found to be significantly associated with higher prevalence of HCV infection in thalassemic patients. Conclusion: Among thalassemic patients in Qazvin, 24.01% were infected with HCV. Considering the infection rate in 2002, no significant difference was found between the present and the previous infection rates, statistically. Regarding the current practice of safe blood-transfusion program in our country, it is concluded that eliminating of risk factors and the use of screening tests with higher sensitivity could be among the key elements in controlling the prevalence of HCV infection among thalassemic patients.