[Human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B viruses in patients with sickle-cell disease in Togo].

Context: The clinical features of sickle cell disease (SCD) are vaso-occlusive and/or hemolytic crises which treatment may require blood transfusions.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HIV, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infections in a population of SCD patients.

Methods: All the samples were analyzed by Elisa technique. We studied 119 sera for HIV using Elisa and a confirmation test in case of positive Elisa. We screened 91 sera for HCV and 119 sera for HBV.

Results: The prevalence was 5.04% for HIV, 6.5% for HCV and 20.2% for HBs Ag. Homozygous (SS) patients were more infected than compound heterozygous patients SC, (p < 0.02). 24.6% of the children (0 to 15 years of age) were infected as well as adults (35.5%). The Relative Risk to be contaminated was 7.14 for HIV, 4.29 for HCV and 5.43 for HBV in transfused compared to non transfused SCD patients.

Conclusions: This high infectious risk in SCD patients should lead us to elaborate a better strategy to increase the safety of blood transfusion in Togo.