HEPATITIS-E VIRUS-INFECTION IN PATIENTS FROM SAUDI-ARABIA WITH SICKLE-CELL-ANEMIA AND BETA-THALASSEMIA MAJOR - POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION BY BLOOD-TRANSFUSION

The seroprevalence of antibodies against hepatitis E virus (HEV) and h epatitis C virus (HCV) was investigated in Saudi children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) (50 patients: 28 boys, 22 girls; age range 2-14 yea rs) and beta-thalassemia major (28 patients: 12 boys, 16 girls; age ra nge 2-12 years), The SCA patients were from the Gizan area (South) whi le the thalassemics were from the Riyadh area (Central province), The prevalence of hepatitis E virus antibody (HEVAb) in patients with SCA (18.0%) and in those with beta-thalassemia major (10.7%) was higher th an in the control groups (5.5% and 2.8%) but this did not reach the le vel of statistical significance, In contrast to the situation with HEV , hepatitis C virus antibody (HCVAb) positivity was significantly high er in patients with SCA (16.0%) and in thalassemics (57.1%) than in th e respective control groups, Although the difference in HEV seropositi vity between beta-thalassemia major, SCA patients and their respective controls is not statistically significant, the possibility of blood-b orne HEV in the Saudi population cannot be excluded. Further investiga tions using HEV-specific polymerase chain reaction techniques are requ ired to confirm whether transmission of HEV through blood preparations or transfusion is possible.