Abstract

 Background and Objectives

  Due to frequent tranfusion of blood components, hemophiliac patients have been exposed to a wide range of blood-borne viruses, among which the human immune deficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have had a considerable impact on their life. Prior to the introduction of virus-inactivation methods in 1985, almost all treated hemophiliacs had been infected with HCV transmited by factor concentrates, and in most countries almost 50% of hemophiliacs had also been infected with HIV.

  Materials and Methods

  162 patients with inherited coagulation disorders including 113 hemophilia A and 17 hemophilia B patients living in East Azarbaijan participated in this observational study. The patients started to be tested for anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and HBs-Ag in 2003. Demographic information were gathered through questionnaires and some other information was taken from patients' medical records.

 Results

  Among 113 hemophilia A and 17 hemophilia B patients, 63 (56%) and 9 (53%) were seropoitive for HCV-Ab respectively. The youngest patient who was seropositive for HCV-Ab was eleven years old, and his first blood transfusion occurred in 1993. No child under the age of 10 was HCV positive in other words, there was no case of HCV in 1995 (P<0.001). In hemophilia A group one patient (0.9%) was seropositive for HIV and 3 (2.7%) were seropositive for HBs-Ag. HCV status was also related to baseline factor activity level. In more severely affected patients of both group A and B (< 1% factor activity) , the prevalence of HCV was 75%.

 Conclusions

  Hemophiliac patients born after 1995 have no evidence of HIV infection. Only one patient (0.9%) was seropositive for HIV and in this respect our province as compared with other countries is in a good condition.

 Key words: Hemophilia, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, HIV