HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION IN BETA THALASSEMIA MAJOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING REPEATED BLOOD TRANSFUSION â€“ A STUDY IN SUBDIVISION LEVEL BLOOD BANK CATERING RURAL WEST BENGAL,INDIA.

Dr.Ujjwal Bandyopadhyay; Dr. Sarmila Guha; Dr. Dr.Arijit Sinha; Dr.Kallol Banerjee

Volume : VI, Issue : III, March - 2017

HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION IN BETA THALASSEMIA MAJOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING REPEATED BLOOD TRANSFUSION â€“ A STUDY IN SUBDIVISION LEVEL BLOOD BANK CATERING RURAL WEST BENGAL,INDIA.

Dr. Ujjwal Bandyopadhyay, Dr. Sarmila Guha, Dr. Dr. Arijit Sinha, Dr. Kallol Banerjee

Abstract :

Conservative management of beta thalassemia major patients with repeated blood transfusion is the cornerstone of therapy. But this bears a significant risk of transfusion transmitted infections (TTIS) including Hepatitis C virus (HCV)–hepatitis. Strict donor selection criteria and good performance of TTI laboratory of blood bank are the two key factors in prevention of HCV infection in thalassemia. The present study was conducted in a subdivision(Health District) level blood bank of rural West Bengal to evaluate seropositivity for iatrogenic HCV infections in thalassemia patients. Seropositivity were 1.75% and 2.08% in the age group of 1–5 years and 6–10 years respectively. The result necessitates all measures to implement �safe blood transfusion protocol� to its maximum.