Estimated serum Interleukin-2 levels in beta-thalassemia patients infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses

Abstract

Beta thalassemia is the most common inheritable disease worldwide. Thalassemia patients are more susceptible to blood-borne viral infections, such as hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV), because of the frequency of blood transfusions. This study aimed to detect HBV and HCV infections among patients with beta-thalassemia and estimate interleukin-2 (IL-2) levels in the serum of infected patients compared with a control group. The study was conducted on a total of 151 patients (83 males and 68 females). HBs antigen and anti-HCV antibody tests were performed for the detection of HBV and HCV infections using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Of the 151 thalassemia patients, 12 (7.9%) had HCV (10 males [6.6%] and 2 females [1.3%]), and none of them was HBsAg positive. There were significant increases in IL-2 levels (Mean 159.33 pg/ml) in HCV-infected thalassemia patients compared with the control group (38.67 pg/ml), (P < 0.05). A statistically significant relationship was found between HCV infection and the frequency of transfusions and splenectomy in patients with thalassemia (P < 0.05). No statistically significant relationship was found between HCV infection and either type of beta-thalassemia or residence (P > 0.05). The current study demonstrated that there were significant increases in serum IL-2 levels in patients with thalassemia infected with HCV compared with the healthy control group. There were statistically significant relationships between transfusion frequency, splenectomy, and HCV infection in thalassemia patients. The types of beta-thalassemia and residency were not statistically significantly related to HCV infection in thalassemia patients.