Prevalence of HCV/HIV co-infection among haemophilia patients in Baghdad

• Published in: Eastern Mediterranean health journal Vol. 12; no. 3-4; pp. 264 - 269
• Main Authors: Al-Kubaisy, W A, Al-Naib, K T, Habib, M A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Egypt World Health Organization 01.05.2006
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Blood Transfusion - statistics & numerical data; Child; Comorbidity; DNA, Viral - analysis; DNA, Viral - genetics; Drug Contamination - statistics & numerical data; Genotype; Health aspects; Hemophilia; Hemophilia A - complications; Hemophilia A - epidemiology; Hemophilia A - therapy; Hepacivirus - genetics; Hepatitis C - blood; Hepatitis C - epidemiology; Hepatitis C - etiology; Hepatitis C Antibodies - blood; HIV infection; HIV Infections - blood; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - etiology; HIV Seroprevalence; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Iraq - epidemiology; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Population Surveillance; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Urban Health - statistics & numerical data; Iraq
• ISSN: 1020-3397; 1020-3397

To estimate the seroprevalence of HCV infection among HIV-infected haemophiliacs and to demonstrate the most prevalent HCV genotype, 47 HIV-infected haemophilia patients were screened for anti-HCV antibodies. By performing polymerase chain reaction and DNA enzyme immunoassay, HCV-RNA was detected with subsequent genotyping. Seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was 66.0%. Of 31 HCV/HIV co-infected patients, 21 (67.7%) had no history of blood transfusion. We detected 4 HCV genotypes: 1a, 1b, 4 and 4 mixed with 3a, HCV-1b being the most frequent. Contaminated factor VIII (clotting factor) could be responsible for disease acquisition.