Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infections among Iraqi Patients Registered to Babylon Center for Inherited Blood Disorders

Aims: To assess the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among Iraqi patients registered to Babylon Center for Inherited Blood Disorders (BCIBD). Methods: The study included 1024 patients representing all patients registered to BCIBD by the date of 1st July 2012. At the time of registration to the center and every six months later on, all patients are tested routinely for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) and hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV Ab). In this study, the results of these tests were reviewed and the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections was evaluated. Results: 0.09% (1/1024) of the patients in the center were positive for HBs Ag and 11.72% (120/1024) of them were positive for anti-HCV Ab. The prevalence of HBV infection is less than that in general population in Babylon. Routine and repeated HBV vaccinations might be the cause. The prevalence of HCV infection is higher than that in general population in Babylon, however it is still less than that recorded in multi-transfused patients in other countries. Low prevalence of HCV infection in Babylonian general population might be the cause. Conclusion: HBV vaccine proved effective in protecting multi-transfused patients from getting HBV infection. However; the absence of HCV vaccine until nowadays, calls for new and better HCV detection tests and viral inactivation methods in donated blood and blood products.