Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C in pediatric malignanices

Abstract EN

Background and Purpose : patients treated for pediatric malignancy are at high risk of parentally transmitted viral hepatitis.

Blood product transfusions are the major risk factor.

The aim of this study is to detect the seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C viral infections in pediatric malignancy patients, before, during and after chemotherapy.

Material and Methods : Two hundred and twenty two pediatric malignancy patients, presenting to the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University during the period from June 2000 to March 2001, were enrolled in this study.

They were classified into two groups (I & II).

Group I included 111 newly diagnosed cases of pediatric malignancy.

Patients in this group were evaluated initially before starting chemotherapy and after six months of treatment.

Group II included 111 cases of pediatric malignancy who ended chemotherapy and were already put under follow up from the beginning.

Patients of both groups were subjected to full clinical evaluation.

Sera of these patients were investigated for liver functions and hepatitis markers including HBsAg, HBcIgM, HBV-DNA by PCR (if HBsAg and / or HBcIgM were positive), HCV-Ab (IgG) and HCV-RNA by PCR (if HCV Ab was positive).

Results : In-group I, the seropositivities for HBV and HCV were found to be 3.6% and 0.9%, respectively, at diagnosis and increased significantly to 18.2% and13.1%, respectively, after 6 months of therapy.

In-group II, the seropositivities for HBV and HCV after cessation of therapy were found to be as high as 34.2 % and 39.6 %, respectively.

Correlation between hepatitis markers and number of blood transfusions, surgery, sex, type of malignancy and liver function were listed.

Conclusions : there is high serprevalence of hepatitis B and C in pediatric malignancy.

Blood product transfusion is the major risk factor.

It is possible that the very high rate of HCV seroconversion in these patients may not only depend on clearly documented parenteral exposure, but also on other unrecognized routes of transmission.