The prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibody in high risk group of Thai children and adults.

The prevalence of anti-HCV is about 1% among the blood donor population. Among 98 children with hemoglobinopathy, age ranging from 2-16 years, anti-HCV was detected in 14 (14%). The average age of the positive group was significantly higher than the negative (10.6 + 2.9 vs 8.1 + 3.9 years P less than 0.05). Numbers of transfusions were 54 + 39 in positive cases as compared to 38.5 + 36 in negative cases but this and were not statistically significant. Anti-HCV was found in 0/18, 0/3 and 0/12 in the HBsAg-positive chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma respectively, whereas it was found in 10/24 (42%), 3/13 (23%) and 0/8 in the HBsAg-negative chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma group. In an adult multiple transfused group of 153 patients who suffered from various hematologic diseases 50 (32.6%) were positive for anti-HCV. If the presence of anti-HCV indicates the presence of hepatitis C virus in the body, we expect that many of these patients will have chronic hepatitis and subsequently cirrhosis. Therefore screening of all donor blood should be adopted in all institutions concerned.