Tehran University Medical Journal

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Background: Major thalassemia is relatively common in Iran and in looking of their need to recurrent transfusion their high risk for acquisition of HCV is revealed. These patients also suffer form liver hemosiderosis that accelerate disease excursion to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study combined therapy with interferon and amantadin has been evaluated.
Methods: This prospective clinical trail has been done on thalasemic patients that had been contaminated by HCV and had laboratory signs of hepatitis. During years of 81-82, 26 patients admitted at Children Mmedical Center with major thalassemia and HCV hepatitis. Inclusion criteria were positive HCV-RNA, high ALT and histologic evidence of hepatitis in liver biopsy and exclusion criteria were history of incomplete treatment any contraindication of IFN or amantadin-emergence of drugs adverse reactions, to intending of these criteria 10 case of them had situation for treatment and follow-up.
Results: In 10 cases, treatment with IFN  - 2b in doses 3 mu for every square meter of body surface three times in week subcutaneously and cap. Amantadin in doses 100 mg po B.d for 6 months was done and after it, 8 cases were negative for HCV-RNA (8%) and in 6 patients, ALT turned to normal (60%) and in 2 other case ALT decrease to lower than 50% of pretreatment value. None of them showed drug adverse reactions and response to therapy was better in lower ages. No relation between response to therapy and liver hemosiderosis, inflammation and sexuality was found.
Conclusion: Combined therapy with IFN and Amantadin is effective in HCV treatment and for lower recurrence, treatment period longer than 24 wk, such as 48 wk is recommended

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Background: Hepatitis type C virus (HCV) is one of the important threatened infectious blood born viruses in different populations. More than 300 million people were suffered form different HCV clinical complications all around the world. It is estimated that only 20% of HCV infected individuals will recover from this viral infection, while the rest become chronically infected. The majority of chronically infected individuals never exhibit symptoms, but approximately 10-/30% of these patients will eventually develop severe liver complications. In this research the prevalence of HCV Ab and the role of some demographic data in HCV incidence and clinical outcomes were determined.

Methods: In this retrospective study 11472 blood samples from, Iranian blood donors, Shahrekord city were collected for one year. The frequency of HCV Ab was analyzed with a third generation EIA method. The statistical relationships of different possible risk factors of HCV infection were analyzed by Instat software.

Results: The HCV Ab was diagnosed in 69 of 11472 (0.6%) serum samples. Significant correlations were detected between the history of HCV infection with marriage, tattooing, and doubtful sexual contact. Significant relationships were not defined between HCV infection with age, history of liver disease, and record of travel to abroad.

Conclusions: Significant relationships were find between HCV infection with marital status, history of tattooing and sexual contact, but significant correlations were not find between HCV infections with sex, history of liver disease and traveling to other countries.

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Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are at substantial risk of acquiring bloodborne pathogen infections through contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials. The main objectives of this study were to determine the epidemiological characteristics of occupational exposure to blood/body fluids, related risk factors of such exposure, and hepatitis B vaccination status among HCWs.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2004 to June 2005 at three university hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Using a structured interview, we questioned HCWs who had the potential for high-risk exposure during the year preceding the study.

Results: With a total number of 467 exposures (52.9%) and an annual rate of 0.5 exposures per HCW, 391 (43%) of the 900 HCWs had at least one occupational exposure to blood and other infected fluids during the previous year. The highest rate of occupational exposure was found among nurses (26%) and the housekeeping staff (20%). These exposures most commonly occurred in the medical and emergency wards (23% and 21%, respectively). The rate of exposure in HCWs with less than five years of experience was 54%. Percutaneous injury was reported in 280 participants (59%). The history of hepatitis B vaccination was positive in 85.93% of the exposed HCWs. Sixty-one percent had used gloves at the time of exposure. Hand washing was reported in 91.4% and consultation with an infectious disease specialist in 29.4%. There were 72 exposures to HIV, HBV and HCV exposure to HBV was the most common. In 237 of the enrolled cases, the source was unknown. Job type, years of experience and hospital ward were the risk factors for exposure.
Conclusion: Education, protective barriers and vaccination are important in the prevention of viral transmission among HCWs.

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is essentially considered as hepatotropic, but virus sequences have also been found in other important extrahepatic sites, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This study was done to investigate the presence of mixed infection and the differences between hepatitis C virus genotypes in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and liver biopsy specimens in patients with hepatitis C virus infection.
Methods : One hundred and fifty two patients with established chronic hepatitis C infection attending Firouzgar Hospital, affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, from September 2008 to April 2010 were enrolled in the present study. After collecting plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cell, and liver biopsy specimens, RNA was extracted from the samples and hepatitis C virus genotyping was performed using INNO-LiPA^TM HCV II kit. The hepatitis C virus genotyping was confirmed by sequencing the RT-nested PCR product of 5'-UTR fragments.
Results : The mean age of the participants was 31.2±16.9 years. Multiple hepatitis C virus genotypes were detected in 4 (2.6%) out of 152 plasma samples, 10 (6.6%) out of 152 peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples, and 9 (18.8%) out of 48 liver biopsy specimens. Hepatitis C virus genotypes were different in the plasma, PBMC, and liver biopsy specimens of 21 (13.8%) patients.
Conclusion: The present study shows that a significant proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection are infected by multiple hepatitis C virus genotypes which may not be detectable in their plasma specimens.