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Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, May 2002, p. 622-626, Vol. 9, No. 3
1071-412X/02/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.9.3.622-626.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Impact of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Virus Infections in a Hematology-Oncology Unit at a Children's Hospital in Nicaragua, 1997 to 1999
Kirsten Visoná,1 Fulgencio Baez,1 Lizeth Taylor,1 René Berríos,2 Bernal León,1 Carlos Pacheco,3 Roberto Jirón,3 Ronald B. Luftig,4 and M. Mercedes Somarriba3*Louisiana State University International Center for Medical Research and Training, San Jose, Costa Rica,1 Nicaraguan Red Cross,2 Hospital Infantil Manuel de Jesús Rivera, Managua, Nicaragua,3 Louisiana State University, New Orleans, Louisiana4
Received 4 June 2001/ Returned for modification 5 September 2001/ Accepted 16 January 2002
The risk of acquiring both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in patients with hematological-oncological disorders has been documented. However, the impact and risk factors for such infections from different geographical areas vary, and the use of both immunological and molecular assays to determine HCV infections has been our approach. Children from a hematology-oncology unit (HOU) in Nicaragua were studied for both HBV and HCV serological markers; studies for the latter used both immunological (anti-HCV) and molecular (HCV RNA) assays. The children from the HOU included patients with leukemia, lymphoma, other neoplasias, and anemia and a smaller group with other hematological diseases. As a control group, children from other units at the same hospital were enrolled, as well as health care workers attending both patient populations. Pertinent clinical and personal data for each child at the HOU were obtained for statistical analysis. Of the 625 children from the HOU enrolled in this study 53.3% were infected with HCV and 29.4% had a prior or present HBV infection. In the child patient control group 3.2% had HBV markers and all were negative for HCV. The group of children with leukemia had the highest infection rate for both HBV and HCV. However, the determination of anti-HCV was found to have an overall low sensitivity in children from HOU, and a retest consisting of a molecular assay to determine HCV RNA was performed to better establish the total number of HCV-infected subjects in this group. The highest independent risk factor for infection was hospitalization. The very high prevalence rates for both HBV and HCV infection in this patient group indicate an urgent need to implement better control of known risk factors and to consider the use of both immunological and molecular assays for HCV diagnostic purposes.
* Corresponding author. Mailing address: LSU-ICMRT, Jet Box Miami, POB 025240, SJO 321, Miami, FL 33102-5240. Phone: 506- 280-5149. Fax: 506-224-7236. E-mail: icmrtlsu{at}sol.racsa.co.cr.
Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, May 2002, p. 622-626, Vol. 9, No. 3
1071-412X/02/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.9.3.622-626.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
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