STUDY OF HEPATIC FUNCTIONS AND PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-B SURFACE ANTIGENEMIA IN OMANI CHILDREN WITH SICKLE-CELL DISEASE

The prevalence of persistent hepatitis-B surface (HBS) antigenaemia an d hepatic functions have been determined in 125 children with sickle c ell disease (SCD) as well as in 100 age-matched healthy children. Hepa tic functions and the presence of HBS antigenaemia have been followed for 1 year in six children with SCD and 10 normal children following a cute hepatitis-B infection. The prevalence of chronic HBS antigenaemia (3 per cent) in children with SCD is not higher than in normal childr en (11 per cent). The significant elevation of serum alanine transfera se (ALT) and bilirubin concentrations in sickle cell children denotes a process of mild hepatocellular dysfunction which is unrelated to hep atitis-B viral antigenaemia. The high incidence of chronic HBS antigen aemia accompanied by elevated serum ALT and bilirubin concentrations i n sickle cell children following acute hepatitis-B infection, in addit ion to the significant impairment of hepatic functions in sicklers wit h chronic HBS antigenaemia compared to those without the antigenaemia, point out to the high risk of continual parenchymal hepatic damage in these children following acute hepatitis-B infection. Vaccination aga inst hepatitis-B virus should eliminate this risk.