prevalence of hepatitis B among thalassemic patients in Kerman

Abstract

A prospective case control study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of HBsAg in 129 thalassemic patients and 113 children as a control group.ELISA was used for serologic investigations. thalassemic patients were aged 8.5+_3.8 years and children of the control group were aged 7.2+_3.8 years.48.1% of the case group and 36.3% of the control group were female and 51.9% of the case group and 63.7% of the control group were male.HBsAg was positive in 2.3% of the thalassemic patients and 0.9% of the control group,the difference was not statictically significant.the average number of transfusions in HBsAg positive thalassemic patients was 106.7 units and in HBsAg negative patients was 72 units.our study revealed that when blood units are screened for HBsAg and blood donation is limited to volunteers,incidence of post-transfusion hepatitis B in thalassemic patients will be neglegible.however we suggest,early immunization against hepatitis B in thalassemic patients.