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High prevalence of occult hepatitis B in hepatitis C‐infected Egyptian children with haematological disorders and malignancies
Author(s) -
Said Zeinab N.A.,
ElSayed Manal H.,
ElBishbishi Iman A.,
ElFouhil Daad F.,
AbdelRheem Soad E.,
ElAbedin Maha Z.,
Salama Iman I.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2009.01975.x
Subject(s) - medicine , occult , hbsag , hbeag , hepatitis b virus , nested polymerase chain reaction , hepatitis b , hepatitis c virus , virology , immunology , antibody , gastroenterology , hepatitis , polymerase chain reaction , virus , biology , pathology , biochemistry , alternative medicine , gene
Objective: This study investigates the prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) in children and adolescents with haematological diseases with or without hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Methods: Forty‐nine children with haematological disorders (median age 11.4 years) and 51 with haematological malignancies (median age 8 years) were enrolled. Sera were tested for HCV antibodies, HCV‐RNA [nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR)], HBV markers (HBsAg, anti‐HBcAb IgM and total, HBeAg) and HBV‐DNA (nested PCR for s, c and x regions). Results: Anti‐HCV was detected among 40/49 (81.6%) children with haematological disorders (24/49; 49% HCV‐RNA positive) and 9/51 (17.6%) children with malignancies (12/51; 23.5% HCV‐RNA positive). HBV‐DNA was positive among 38%; positive c region in 33% (15/49 and 18/51 children with haematological disorders and malignancies respectively), s region in four leukaemics and x region in one leukaemic. Twenty‐one patients had occult HBV infection; one (2.6%) was HBeAg positive, four (19%) total HBcAb positive, 20 (95.2%) c region HBV‐DNA positive and one was s region positive (1/21; 4.8%). HCV‐RNA was the significant predictor for occult HBV ( P <0.05), with an increased frequency of HBV‐DNA in the HBsAg negative (HCV‐RNA positive) (63.2%) compared with patients negative for HCV‐RNA (25%) ( P =0.009). Conclusion: Occult HBV infection is not uncommon in transfused immunocompromised children with chronic HCV infection. Nucleic acid amplification should be considered in screening donors as post‐transfusion hepatitis B viraemia may be substantial.