Prevalence of HCV and HIV infections and evaluation of ALT Levels in Patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia: a cross-sectional study from Nanning, China.

Transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) patients encounter a substantial threat of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs), specifically hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), stemming from their chronic dependence on blood transfusions. Consequently, ensuring the safety and availability of clinical blood resources is paramount. To assess the prevalence of HCV and HIV within the TDT patients in Nanning, China, and to evaluate the efficacy of the "Three-Designated" transfusion model (Designated Locations, Designated Patients, and Designated Schedules) for TTD patients in safeguarding blood safety and supply, we collected 766 demographic information and 546 blood specimens from TDT patients across nine hospitals in Nanning between July 2020 and March 2021. We screened for anti-HCV antibodies, HIV-1/2 antibodies, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Our findings revealed that all specimens were negative for HCV and HIV antibodies, Abnormal ALT(≥ 50 U/L) stood at 19.05% (104/546), no statistically significant variations in abnormality rates were observed regarding sex, ABO blood type groups, birth of years groups, or hospitals. This study suggesting that the "Three-Designated" transfusion model successfully ensured an "adequate, safe, and effective" blood supply and markedly reduces TTI risks among TDT patient.