A prospective study was conducted on 325 patients (187 males and 138 females) with B –thalassemia major &sickle- thalassemia - who were attending the thalassemia center at Maternity and Children Teaching Hospital in Al-Diwaniya , from the period of September 2007 till April 2008. Their ages ranged from 1-20 years. They were studied for Anti HCV sero positivity among patients with B- thalassemia major &Sickle- thalassemia (12 patients (4.01%) and 1 patient (3.84%) respectively). Anti HCV sero positivity was significantly higher among patient's ages from (5-15 years) and also sero positivity was more among males. Statistically, there were significant differences among both sexes. The study has revealed also that anti HCV sero positivity was directly related to the frequency of blood transfusion. Also they were studied for HCV antibodies. 13 patients (4 %) were found to have antibodies in comparison to zero among the 325 children of the control group.The risk of exposure to HCV was higher than HBsAG and HIV among the same patients.
