Hepatitis B and hepatitis C in multitransfused children.

The study was conducted on 75 multitransfused children aged between 2 and 13 years who attended the Department of Paediatrics, LNJPN Hospital, New Delhi from July 1990 to July 1991. These included 64 cases of thalassaemia major, 4 cases of haemophilia, 3 patients of acute lymphatic leukaemia and one each of acute myeloid leukaemia, aplastic anemia, chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis. HBsAg was tested in all, Anti-HBc was tested in 44 patients and Anti-HCV in 43 patients. Anti HDV was tested in HBsAg positive patients and IgM anti-HAV was tested in patients suffering from hepatitis. Liver function tests were evaluated in all patients. HBsAg was positive in 31% of patients; 40% of males and 15% of females were HBsAg positive, the difference being statistically significant. 84% of patients were Anti-HBc positive, 21% were anti HCV positive, 4% were Anti HDV positive. 15% of the patients had post transfusion hepatitis. Anti HCV was present in 57% of the hepatitis patients; none had anti-HAV IgM.