DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i08.040

Pages: 3176-3178

The aim of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of HIV seropositivity among thalassemic patients in a tertiary care teaching centre. Retrospective analysis of data of HIV testing among thalassemia patients from January 2011 to December 2014 at a teaching tertiary care hospital was done. All samples had been tested by serological tests for HIV antibodies as per NACO guidelines. Out of 192 patients tested, only one patient aged 25 years was found sero-reactive for HIV. Our study reveals a low HIV sero-prevalence of 0.52% among thalassemic patients. The exact cause of seroconversion in the single HIV sero-reactive patient in the study could not be ascertained as other baseline data was not available. He might have received unscreened blood at some remote or unauthorised centre. Moreover, the case is in sexually active age group so possibility of sexual transmission cannot be ruled out. Since thalassemic patients have to undergo frequent blood investigations, there is a chance of contracting infection by parenteral route. Therefore, at thalassemia clinics all new entrants should be screened for HIV infection and at frequent intervals thereafter to detect early transfusion transmitted infection.