β-地中海贫血患儿常规治疗为输血,因而他们是血源性病毒感染的高危人群。本文作者在佛罗伦萨和费拉拉的儿科对多次输血的β-地中海贫血患儿使用已确定的抗HCV检测技术连续13年进行HCV抗体的研究。共检测β-地中海贫血患儿35例(男20,女15),他们均用经洗涤的血细胞进行定期输血治疗。患儿平均年龄为12.6±4.1岁(中位数为12岁)。在第一次输血之前,全部患儿抗-HCV都为阳性。在输血之后22例患儿(62.9%)血清阳转(该百分率与血友病患者相类 Children with β-thalassemia are routinely treated for blood transfusions, so they are at high risk for blood-borne viral infections. The authors of this study used pediatric beta-thalassemia patients with multiple transfusions in a pediatric setting in Florence and Ferrara to study HCV antibodies for 13 consecutive years using established anti-HCV assays. A total of 35 children (20 males and 15 females) with β-thalassemia were tested, and they all received regular blood transfusion with washed blood cells. The average age of children was 12.6 ± 4.1 years (median 12 years). Before the first transfusion, all children were positive for anti-HCV. 22 children (62.9%) had positive seroconversion after transfusion (this percentage is similar to that in hemophiliacs