Succesful treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection with daclatasvir and asunaprevir in a transfusion dependent thalassaemia patient

Thalassaemia is one of the most common inherited hemoglobinopathies that is characterized with defective hemoglobin synthesis and ineffective erythropoiesis. Chronic transfusion therapy which increases the risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the main treatment for severe forms of disease. Upon routine implementation of HCV screening in blood banks, chronic Hepatitis C incidance in thalassaemia patients has decreased. Nevertheless, HCV prevalence in transfusion dependent thalassemia patients, most of whom have acquired HCV prior to screening, is 23-47%. Cirrhosis occurs in about 10-20% of chronically infected patients. Iron overload associated with chronic transfusion also contributes to the development of cirrhosis in these patients. Therefore successful treatment of hepatitis C in thalassemia patients is imperative.