Search

Introduction: Sickle cell disease, also known as sickle cell anaemia, is an inherited haemoglobinopathy resulting in the production of the abnormal haemoglobin of sickle cell disease: haemoglobin S. Sickle cell patients are exposed to frequent deglobulation crises, often requiring several blood transfusions and hospitalisations at risk of transmission of infectious diseases such as hepatitis B (HBV). The objective of our study is to describe the immunisation against hepatitis B of vaccinated sickle cell patients and then to propose a course of action for non-immunised patients in the Haematology Department of the Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona University Hospital (JRAHU). Material and Methods:The study was a prospective descriptive study investigating on the immunisation against hepatitis B of vaccinated sickle cell patient’s patients in the Haematology Department of the Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona University Hospital (JRAHU) from June 2019 to March 2020. The study population concerned all sickle cell disease children under 15 years of age, girls or boys, of any ethnic origin, with or without clinical or biological signs of hepatitis, vaccinated against hepatitis B according to expanded program of immunization with at least 3 injections of hepatitis B vaccine, transfused or not. The included patients were be tested for HBsAg and anti-HBsAb. Results:During the study period, a total of 36 sickle cell patients were included. The average age was 8.2 years with an extreme of 2 and 13 years. Of the 36 sickle cell patients vaccinated, none had HBsAg and 28 patients (77.8%) were anti-HBsAb positive, protected against hepatitis B and 8 patients (22.2%) were serologically negative and at risk of contracting hepatitis B. Conclusion:Sickle cell disease patients are exposed risk of transmission of infectious diseases, if their antibody level between 1 and 10 mIU mL-1 is considered a poor response, those affected should receive a booster.

Introduction:Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) occur as a result of a dysfunction of the immune system which, instead of defending the body against external aggressions, attacks the components of the "self". Some antibodies are specific to an autoimmune pathology. The presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and rheumatoid factor (RF) are biological signs of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematous and rheumatoid arthritis, and Antistreptolysin O (ASO) is commonly evaluated in the suspicion of rheumatic fever. Our objective is to estimate the prevalence of three autoimmune markers (ANA, FR and ASO) performed in the Immunology Laboratory of the Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona Hospital (JRAH). Material and Methods:The study was a retrospective, analytical study investigating on markers of autoimmune diseases at the Formation and Research Paraclinic Unit in Immunology (FRUI) of the Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona Hospital (JRAH). The study was conducted over five years from January 2015 to 2020 based on the consultation the requests for analysis of antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor and ASO. Results:During the study period, 87 requests for antinuclear antibody analysis were processed, of which 18 cases were positive (20.7%), for rheumatoid factor, among 321 requested tests 22 (6.9%) and 1,346 ASO requests, 47.8% were above 200 IU/L. Conclusion:Taken together, our study agrees with the findings of many authors who suggest that the three markers of autoimmune diseases predominate mostly in women with particular age range dominated over 40 years for ANA and RF and young under 20 years for ASO.