Post-transfusion hepatitis C seroprevalence in Tanzanian children

In Tanzania, children with malaria-associated anaemia are frequently given blood transfusions, and donor blood is not screened for hepatitis C virus ( HCV) infection. To determine the seroprevalence of HCV infection in Tanzani an children previously transfused with blood, 184 children (92 transfused, 92 not transfused) aged between 15 and 59 months matched for age and sex we re screened for HCV antibodies by the particle agglutination test using Ser odia(R) anti-HCV (Fujirebio Inc., Japan). The overall prevalence of HCV inf ection was 7.1% (13/184). HCV seropositivity was 5.4% (5/92) among children with a history of blood transfusion and 8.6% (8/92) among the non-transfus ed. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of HCV infection between transfused and non-transfused children. None of the factors investi gated, such as gender, the nutrition and HIV serostatus of the children and the marital and education status of their mothers, was associated with HCV seropositivity. Further studies are recommended to identify the factors as sociated with HCV infection in Tanzanian children.