       Document 0314
 DOCN  M9610314
 TI    Infection with hepatitis viruses (B and C) and human retroviruses
       (HTLV-1 and HIV) in Saudi children receiving cycled cancer chemotherapy.
 DT    9601
 AU    Bakir TM; Kurbaan KM; al Fawaz I; Ramia S; Department of Pathology,
       College of Medicine, King Saud; University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
 SO    J Trop Pediatr. 1995 Aug;41(4):206-9. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96054055
 AB    Serological markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV),
       human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), and human
       immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2) were studied in 53 Saudi
       children (31 males, 22 females; 1-12 years of age) receiving cycled
       cancer chemotherapy and in 168 healthy Saudi children taken as control.
       Exposure to HBV in the patients was similar to that in the control (6
       per cent HBsAg in patients v. 7 per cent in the control; 19 per cent
       exposure rate in patients v. 20 per cent in control). None of our
       patients was vaccinated against HBV prior to chemotherapy. The fact that
       among the 10 HBV exposed patients five patients were anti-HBs-positive
       is in favour of vaccinating Saudi oncology patients against HBV prior to
       chemotherapy. In contrast to the situation with HBV the prevalence of
       anti-HCV in the patients (11 per cent) was significantly higher than
       that in the control (1 per cent) (P = 0.003). None of our patients or
       the control were anti-HTLV-1 or anti-HIV-positive. The results of this
       study stress the need for an awareness of HCV problem in Saudi oncology
       patients. Strict measures of screening blood donors for all blood-borne
       viruses and, in particular, for HCV in addition to the use of disposable
       equipment in management of cancer patients are items that should be
       implemented as soon as possible.
 DE    Antineoplastic Agents, Combined/THERAPEUTIC USE  Chi-Square Distribution
       Child  Child, Preschool  Female  Hepatitis
       B/*COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Hepatitis
       C/*COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Human  HIV
       Infections/*COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS/EPIDEMIOLOGY  HTLV-I
       Infections/*COMPLICATIONS/DIAGNOSIS/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Infant  Male
       Neoplasms/*COMPLICATIONS/DRUG THERAPY/VIROLOGY  Prevalence  Risk Factors
       Saudi Arabia/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Serodiagnosis  Seroepidemiologic Methods
       JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

