SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASE (STD) MARKERS IN MULTITRANSFUSED CHILDREN IN RELATION TO HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 (HIV-1) INFECTION- IMPACT OF STD MARKERS IN BLOOD-DONORS

Association of serological markers for various sexually transmitted di seases (STDs) with Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) infecti on among heterosexually promiscuous blood donors is well recognized. H owever, possibility of similar association among children receiving tr ansfusion from these donors has not been adequately explored. Study on the association of some STD markers with HIV-1 infection in multitran sfused (MT) children showed that both HIV-1 positive and HIV-1 negativ e groups of children had significantly higher prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers, i.e. HBsAg (23 and 30 per cent), anti-HBs (46 a nd 57 per cent), anti-HBc (18 and 23 per cent), antibodies to cytomega lovirus of IgM class (36 and 37 per cent) and IgG class (72.7 and 70 p er cent), IgG antibodies to Herpes Simplex Virus type-2 (23 and 23 per cent) compared to control group. However, seropositivity for HIV-1 in fection could not be attributed as a risk factor for any of these mark ers in the group of MT children. On the contrary, significant associat ion of anti HBc, anti HCV, CMV IgG and antitreponemal antibody with HI V-1 infection could be recorded in the group of blood donors. It appea red that due to low prevalence of HIV-1 infection among blood donors i n India, both HIV-1 positive and HIV-1 negative groups of MT children received transfusion from HIV negative donors predominately resulting in a comparable prevalence of STD markers in both the groups of MT chi ldren due to cumulative effect of transfusion from HIV-1 negative dono rs.