Hepatitis C Virus infection in Saudi Arab patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the current study is to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in Saudi Arab patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

METHODS: Fifty-six unselected Saudi Arab patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were tested for the presence of Hepatitis C virus antibodies using Elisa immunoabsorbant assay 2.0. Positive and indeterminate results were subjected to confirmatory testing using RIBA-Hepatitis C virus 2.0. Two control groups were utilized for comparison; the first is a group of randomly selected general medical patients and healthy blood donors; and the 2nd is a cohort of patients with hematological neoplasms other than B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Patients with previous history of blood transfusion or liver disease were excluded from the study.

RESULTS: Twelve of the 56 B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients (21%) tested positive for Hepatitis C virus antibodies. Only 3 out of 104 (3%) and 2 out of 41 (5%) patients tested positive for Hepatitis C virus antibodies in the first and 2nd control groups.

CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate a higher prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in Saudi Arab patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma than in the control groups. The prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in the 2 control groups, in turn, seems to fall within the estimated prevalence in the general population.