“Seroprevalence of Transfusion Associated Hepatitis C Virus (Hcv) in Multi-Transfused Thalassemic Children of The Tertiary Care Hospital.”

To know the seroprevalence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in Multi-transfused Thalassemic Children attending a tertiary care hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Serum sample were tested by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) test for Anti HCV antibody from the thalassemic children over a period of 4 years from January 2006 to December 2009.

A total of 163 thalassemic children were tested for antibody of HCV. Out of these HCV antibodies were positive in 38 (23.31 %) patients.

Prevalence of HCV infection among the thalassemic cases is much higher than the routine blood donors. in the light of this result a nationwide survey is recommended to confirm this pattern in the other areas and more sophisticated diagnostic tool should be employed to rule out window period of these Transfusion Associated infections.