@article{Naz_Ullah_Muhammad_Khan_Shah_Rehman_Basir_2023, place={Pakistan}, title={Incidence of Hepatitis B Due to Multiple Transfusions in Patients of β-Thalassemia Major: Incidence of Hepatitis B in Patients of β-Thalassemia Major}, volume={4}, url={https://thejas.com.pk/index.php/pjhs/article/view/558}, DOI={10.54393/pjhs.v4i02.558}, abstractNote={<p>β-Thalassemia is one of the most prevalent childhood hemolytic disorders. Multiple blood transfusions of unscreened blood can result in infection transmission. After many transfusions, Hepatitis B infection in thalassemia patients was reported. <strong>Objective: </strong>To determine the incidence of Hepatitis B in β-thalassemia major patients, associated with multiple blood transfusion strategies. <strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study was executed in Pediatric department of DHQ teaching hospital Dera Ismail khan with the collaboration of the Regional Blood center, and comprised 360 patients, diagnosed with β-Thalassemia Major and maintained on multiple transfusions. <strong>Results: </strong>The average weight of the subjects was 43.50<u>+</u>18.76 Kg and their mean age was 13.10<u>+</u>2.1 years. The significantly high population of the patients (p<0.05) was not immunized against Hepatitis B (73.88%), while only 26.66% (94/360) were immunized. The patients having less than 10, 11-20 and more than 20 transfusions per annum comprised 72 (20%), 157 (43.61%) and 131 (36.38%) patients, respectively. The affected patients had significantly altered hematological parameters (p<0.05). The highest number of β-Thalassemia Major patients affected with Hepatitis B belonged to the Group having more than 25 transfusions of blood annually, with an incidence rate of 11.53. <strong>Conclusions: </strong>The greatest risk factor for Hepatitis B infection in β-thalassemia major patients is concluded to be multiple blood transfusions. It was also found that a huge population of Thalassemia patients was not immunized against HBV despite the severe risk. Therefore, health education and awareness campaigns are needed for the significance of Hepatitis B immunization and transfusion of screened blood.</p>}, number={02}, journal={Pakistan Journal of Health Sciences}, author={Naz, Rida and Ullah, Farman and Muhammad, Taj and Khan, Obidullah and Shah, Faridullah and Rehman, Aziz u and Basir, Noor Ul}, year={2023}, month={Feb.}, pages={86–90} }