Transfusion-Transmitted Viruses in Individuals with β Thalassemia Major at Northeastern Iran, a Retrospective Sero-Epidemiological Survey

Background: Thalassemia syndromes are the most common genetic disorders in the world. They happen due to genetic defects in process of haemoglobin synthesis, and would be classified to many groups mainly α and β, based on the kind of defect. Anemia is the main clinical manifestation of this phenotype of disorder. In order to correct the chronic anemia in thalassaemic individuals, they may need to get 4-6 blood units per month. They are also prone to blood borne infections. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated medical records of 360 major β- thlassemic patients in northeastern Iran to find the viral blood borne status among them. Results: The findings showed that 209 (58.8%) were male and 151 (41.94%) were female. About blood borne viruses, 30 (8.33%) had positive result for anti-HCV. Eight persons (2.22%) had positive HBsAg. Twenty-two persons (6.11%) had positive HTLV-I serums. No one had positive HIV (1/2). Seven (1.94%) were positive for both HTLV-I and anti-HCV. Two ones (0.55%) had positive serums for both HTLV-I and HBsAg. Conclusion: Similar to other geographic regions, the HCV was the most common type of viral infections in northeastern Iran. Surveying the HTLV-I, the northeastern part of country is one of endemic sources for the HTLV-I and in fact 22 individuals showed it. Also HBV had infected part of major β- thalassemic patients. Fortunately there was no case with the HIV that intensified the blood safety of blood transfusion organization.