Viral infections in beta-thalassemia/hemoglobin E patients.

One hundred ten patients with beta-thal/Hb E disease and 60 normal controls matched for age and socioeconomic status were followed for 1.5 years. They were examined clinically, and blood and plasma were studied for Coxsackie B viruses and others. The findings suggest that the patients are more susceptible to Coxsackie B virus but not to rubella, herpes simplex, cytomegalovirus, adenovirus, and M. pneumoniae. In contrast to bacterial infections, splenectomized patients did not show evidence of increased viral infections.