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Background and Aim: Blood-borne infections are important threatening problems for health care staff which needs more attention. Heart surgery and invasive heart procedures are major risks for transmission of viruses like HBV, HCV, and HIV to patients and medical staff. Therefore this study was performed to assess prevalence of such infections in these patients. Materials and Methods: This descriptive survey included all the patients who had been admitted for cardiac surgery or invasive cardiac procedures in Emam Ali Hospital in Kermanshah from 1999 to 2003. Data collected from medical records, were analyzed by means of T and X2 tests. P. value <0.005 regarded significant. Results: Among 6820 cases, 112 patients had positive HBV and HCV tests (1.6 percent) with 89 HBV positive (1.3 percent) and 31 HCV positive (0.45 percent) cases. (8 patents were both HCV and HBV positive) 76 patients were male (74%), and the remainder were female. No HIV positive patient was detected. Positive cases were more common in hospitalized patients, those with history of previous surgery and blood transfusion, addicts and housekeepers. Data analysis by means of X2 test showed significant correlation between presence of HCV and HBV infection with history of transfusion (p. value=0.001) and previous surgery (P. value=0.015) but not with addiction (p. value=0.675). The variables of education level and job were not found to be risk factors. Conclusion: prevalence of hepatitis among cardiac Patients is similar to general population, so performing routine HBV, HCV, HIV tests in high risk groups should be regarded more important.

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ABSTRACT Background and Aim: Measurement of adenosine deaminase and its isoenzymes in serum has been used for diagnosis and differentiation of intracellular infections and malignancies of immune cells. The aim of this study was to compare ADA levels and its isoenzymes in HIV positive patients and HIV positive patients co-infected with hepatitis B and C and healthy individuals, as a quick and low-cost diagnostic biochemical marker. Material and Methods: This historical cohort study included 97 HIV positive IDU patients. After obtaining blood samples, serum was separated and examined for hepatitis B and C. We used Guisti method for measurment of ADA activity and EHNA inhibitor for the activity of its isoenzymes. Data analysis was performed by SPSS 16 (SPSS Inc., Chicago). Results: Our results showed that there was a high prevalence of HBV and HCV in HIV positive IV drug users. We found that total ADA activity in the patients groups was significantly higher than control group. Also HIV-HCV group showed a higher activity of this enzyme in comparison to HIV positive groups. Significant differences were found in regard to ADA2 isoenzymes among the four groups (P<0.05). But ADA1 activity showed no significant difference. CD4+ counts were lower in HIV-HCV and HIV-HBV patients than HIV positive patients. Conclusion: ADA activity was considerably increased in HIV positive patients co-infected with either HBV or HCV. According to the results of this study and because of its low cost and simplicity to perform, in addition to other markers, measurement of ADA activity in serum is a sensitive biological marker for assessment of intracellular infections, particularly hepatitis in HIV positive patients. Key words: IV drug user, Adenosine deaminase, Isoenzyme, HIV positive, HBV-HBV positive, HIV-HCV positive, CD4+. Received: Jul 3, 2012 Accepted: Dec 2, 2012 Conflict of interest: None declared