Prevalence and Trends of Transfusion-Transmissible Viral Infections among Blood Donors in South of Iran: An Eleven-Year Retrospective Study

Seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus in African blood donors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In developing countries, the safety of blood transfusions remains an important public health concern as it is associated with a higher risk of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). In this study, we aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of HIV among blood donors in Africa and assess the temporal trends and regional differences within the continent through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

Seven electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, HINARI, Global Index Medicus and Clinical.

TRIAL

gov) were searched for relevant studies for our research. We included all primary studies that estimated the seroprevalence of HIV among blood donors in Africa with an age population from 16 to 65 years old, without language restrictions, from inception up to March 1st 2024. The pooled seroprevalence was estimated through the DerSimonian-Laird random effects model. The temporal trends and regional differences were assessed through subgroup and meta-regression analysis.

FINDINGS

We obtained 122 studies that met our inclusion criteria, comprising 7,814,996 blood donors tested for HIV. Sixty-six percent of the studies were from Western and Eastern Africa. The pooled seroprevalence of HIV among blood donors in Africa was 2.66% (95% CI: 2.17-3.20%; I2 = 99.80%, p < 0.01). The highest prevalence was observed in the Central African region, 3.28% (95% CI: 2.57%-4.06%), followed by the Eastern 3.21% (95% CI: 2.12%-4.52%), and the Western 2.66% (95% CI: 1.93%-3.49%) regions. Lower prevalences were observed in the Northern region, 0.57% (95% CI: 0.0%-2.10%), followed by the Southern African region with 0.45% (95% CI: 0.16%-0.86%). We observed a temporal decreased trend of HIV prevalence.

INTERPRETATION

The prevalence of HIV infection among African blood donors remains high and is not homogeneous across the continent. Efficient measures to strengthen HIV testing and prevent HIV transmission through blood transfusion are needed in Africa. Systematic review protocol registration: PROSPERO CRD42023395616.

FUNDING

This article was supported by National Funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia,I.P., within CINTESIS, R&D Unit (reference UIDP/4255/2020).

Prevalence and trends of transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors in Basra, Iraq

BACKGROUND

Despite saving millions of lives through blood transfusion, transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) still threaten the lives of patients requiring blood transfusion. Hence, screening blood donors and studying the prevalence of TTIs among blood donors may display the burden of these diseases among our population. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence rates of transfusion transmitted infections among blood donors in Basra, Iraq from 2019 to 2021 as groundwork for providing safe blood transfusion in Iraq.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out in the blood banks in Basra, Iraq from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2021. A total of 197 898 samples were collected and screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-hepatitis B core (HBc), anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis immunologically.

RESULTS

The prevalence rates of seropositive of viral hepatitis for the year 2019, 2020, 2021 were as following: hepatitis B virus (HBV) rates 1.54%, 1.45% and 1.14% with significant declined trend by 26%; anti-HCV rates were 0.14, 0.12 and 0.11% with significant declined trend by 21.4%; and the syphilis rates were 0.38, 0.47, 0.36 with marked declined trend 5.3%, respectively.Of those donors showed HBV positive, 2503 (1.26%) had positive anti-HBc results, while only 173 (0.0874) showed positive test results for both anti-HBc and HBsAg.

CONCLUSION

Prevalence rates of viral hepatitis and syphilis showed a steady decline between 2019 and 2021, and these rates were much lower in Basra than in other parts of Iraq and neighbouring countries. The importance of using the anti-HBc test in the screening of blood donors was indicated in this study. These findings would contribute in improving the understanding of TTIs epidemiology and supporting health authorities controlling bloodborne diseases.

Seroprevalence and trends of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus in Syrian blood donors at Damascus University Blood Center between 2004 and 2021

Introduction

Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmitted viral infections (TTVIs) is a valuable indicator for assessing blood safety, population health and health system performance in the times of peace and conflicts. Only scarce information is available on the impact of the decade-long violent conflict on the prevalence of TTVIs in Syria. Moreover, hepatitis B vaccine was introduced to the national vaccination program in 1993; however, no data is available on the vaccine effectiveness.

Methods

In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we compiled the screening results for major TTVIs, namely hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), of volunteer donors at Damascus University Blood Center from May 2004 to October 2021. Prevalence was expressed in percentages for the entire study group and subgroups. Chi-square test and linear regression were used to examine the differences and describe trends in prevalence, respectively, based on demographic characteristics (i.e., age and gender) and time. P-value of <0.005 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Of the total 307,774 donors (82.27% males, median age 27 years), 5,929 (1.93%) had serological evidence of at least one TTVI, and 26 (0.0085%) had multiple infections. The lowest prevalence (1.09%) was detected in donors aged 18-25 years old, and a higher prevalence (2.05%) was evident in males in comparison with females (1.38%). The seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV was 1.18, 0.52, and 0.23%, respectively. Trend analyses revealed a significant regression in HBV and HIV prevalence from 2011 to 2021. HBV seropositivity depicted a temporal decline by ~80%, from 0.79% in 2011 to 0.16% in 2021 in those born in 1993 and thereafter.

Discussion

The seroprevalence of HBV, HIV, and to a lesser extent HCV dropped over the study 18-year period. Possible explanations may include implementation of the HBV vaccine, robust national health system, conservative sociocultural values, and isolation.

High Prevalence of Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Iranian Hemodialysis Patients

Considering the potential risks associated with occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, this study was designed to investigate the magnitude and genotypic pattern of occult HBV infection among hemodialysis patients. All patients on regular hemodialysis attending the dialysis centers located in southern Iran and 277 nonhemodialysis controls were invited to participate in this study. Serum samples were tested for detection of hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by competitive enzyme immunoassay and sandwich ELISA, respectively. The molecular evaluation of HBV infection was conducted by two nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, targeting S, X, and precore regions of HBV genome, and sequencing by Sanger dideoxy sequencing technology. Moreover, HBV viremic samples were tested for hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection by HCV Ab ELISA and seminested reverse transcriptase PCR. Of 279 hemodialysis patients, five (1.8%) were positive for HBsAg, 66 (23.7%) were positive for HBcAb, and 32 (11.5%) had HBV viremia with HBV genotype D, sub-genotype D3 and subtype ayw2. Moreover, 90.6% of the hemodialysis patients with HBV viremia had occult HBV infection. Hemodialysis patients (11.5%) had significantly higher prevalence of HBV viremia than nonhemodialysis controls (1.08%; P = 0.0001). The prevalence of HBV viremia among hemodialysis patients was not statistically associated with duration of hemodialysis, age and gender distribution. In contrast, HBV viremia was significantly associated with place of residency and ethnicity, with residents of Dashtestan and Arab having had significantly higher prevalence of HBV viremia compared with the residents of other cities and Fars patients. Notably, 27.6% and 6.9% of hemodialysis patients infected with occult HBV infection were also positive for anti-HCV antibodies and HCV viremia, respectively. High prevalence of occult HBV infection was detected in hemodialysis patients, whereas 62% of patients with occult HBV infection were negative for HBcAb. Therefore, screening of all hemodialysis patients by sensitive molecular tests, regardless of the pattern of HBV serological markers, is recommended to increase the diagnosis rate of HBV infection.

Hepatitis B infection among β-thalassemia major patients in Bushehr province of southern Iran

This study was performed to determine the prevalence, genotype distribution and risk factors of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among β-thalassemia patients. ELISA was used to detect HBsAg and HBcAb. Molecular evaluation of HBV infection was performed by nested PCR, targeting S, X and pre-C regions of the genome, and sequencing. Of 126 thalassemia patients, 4 cases (3.17%) were positive for HBsAg, 23 cases (18.25%) were positive for HBcAb, and 6 cases (4.76%) had HBV viremia with genotype D, sub-genotype D3 and subtype ayw2. HBV prevalence among thalassemia patients was not statistically associated with gender distribution, place of residency, marital status and frequency of blood transfusion. HBsAg seroprevalence was significantly higher in Afghan immigrants and patients with ALT levels of 41-80 IU/L. The prevalence of HBV viremia was significantly higher among thalassemia patients aged >20 years compared to the patients aged <20 years. Moreover, 1.59% of thalassemia patients had seropositive occult HBV infection, which was positive for HBV-DNA and HBcAb but negative for HBsAg. Considering the relatively high prevalence of occult HBV infection among thalassemia patients, there is a possibility of their contamination through donated blood. Therefore, screening of donated blood based on detection of HBsAg cannot abolish HBV transmission through blood transfusion.

Prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections in Saudi Arabia blood donors: A nationwide, cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To establish a nationwide epidemiological profile of transfusion-transmittable infection (TTI) markers among seemingly healthy blood donors to update policies required to ensure blood safety.

METHODS

A nationwide, cross-sectional study was designed to examine donor demographics and TTI prevalence during 2020 using data provided by the Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia.

RESULTS

Collectively, a total of 375,218 whole blood units were donated, of which 32,758 (8.7%) were excluded due to TTI-related risk. The exclusion was based on a positive nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) or seroreactivity to hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I/II), syphilis, or malaria. Notably, the central (37.6%) and southern (33%) regions were the epicenters of TTI-reactive blood donors. Hepatitis B virus markers accounted for 85.7% and were the overall most prevalent of TTI-positive donations, followed by HCV at 5.9% and syphilis at 5.6%. In particular, anti-HBc and HBsAg were most prevalent in the south, while HBV NAT was highest in the center.

CONCLUSION

Hepatitis B virus, HCV, and syphilis carry the greatest risk of TTI in Saudi Arabia. Including HBsAg screening is a necessary precautious measure to maintain blood safety.

HIV, HTLV, and Hepatitis B and C Infection in Blood Donors in Bahia, Brazil from 2008 to 2017

Although blood transfusion is an important therapeutic resource, transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) are still a cause for concern. Measures to mitigate this risk involve improvement of donor screening criteria and improvements in laboratory tests, especially the use of nucleic acid test (NAT). In this retrospective study we evaluated HIV, HTLV, HCV and HBV infection rates in blood donors of the Hematology and Hemotherapy Foundation of Bahia (Hemoba), Brazil, through serological and NAT results and the characteristics of donors. From February/2008 to December/2017, 777,446 blood donations were made. Most donors were male, aged 25-44 years, black and mixed race, and single or divorced. The density-type incidence (DTI; per 100,000) for each virus was 91.1 for HBV; 66.5 for HCV; 54.3 for HIV; and 33.9 for HTLV, with a decreasing trend observed over the period studied, except in the last biennium. NAT detected only 1 donor in immunological window for HIV (0.46/100,000 donations) and 3 donors in immunological window for HBV (1.8/100,000 donations). Serological positivity for all viruses studied was higher in the metropolitan region of Salvador, the state capital. Conclusion: DTI rates show a decreasing trend over the years studied, with a predominance of HBV infection. NAT allowed the detection of donors in immunological window periods, having an important role in improving transfusion safety.

Frequency of transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors of Rawalpindi District, Pakistan

Background

Transmissible Infections (TTI's) are a cause of significant burden on health care facilities by imposing a threat of infection transmission through disease reservoirs in asymptomatic donors. This eventually leads to a serious challenge in acquiring blood bags in a country like Pakistan where transfusion dependent disease are of high prevalence. The objective of this study is to determine the seroprevalence of TTI's in blood donors in Rawalpindi District through a multi-center approach.

Materials and Methods

This is an observational descriptive retrospective study based on 6 transfusion centers in the Rawalpindi District. The time frame of the study was from January 2015 to December 2018. A total of 223,242 donors were consecutively included and data on donor type, the purpose of transfusion, and seroprevalence (HBV, HCV, HIV, Syphilis, and Malaria) were collected through a structured questionnaire and laboratory investigation results. The collected data were entered in SPSS version 21.0 for analysis.

Results

The seroprevalence of blood borne infections was 7,897 (3.537%) of which HBV, HCV, HIV, Syphilis and Malaria accounted for 2410 (1.080%), 3105(1.391%), 0(0.000%), 2017 (0.933%) and 365 (0.171%), respectively. Reactive samples reduced from 4.850% to 3.537% over 4 years, while there was a rise of 37.478% of blood donors from 2015 to 2018. The total number of voluntary donors and replacement donors was 22079 (9.890%) and 201156 (90.107%), with a rising incidence in voluntary donors from 2015 to 2018. A considerable number of donor bags were transfused to Thalassemia, Anemia, Leukemia and Hemophilia patients, 28156 (12.612%). This number also showed increasing rates from 11.654% to 14.017%.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our study suggests that the risk of transmission through transfusion is still considerable. Targeting donors with a low-risk profile, a screening questionnaire, an ample supply of quality screening tests, and awareness campaigns for the diseases in question must be carried to further decrease the risk of transmission of TTIs in Pakistan.

Molecular evaluation of hepatitis B virus infection and predominant mutations of pre-core, basal core promoter and S regions in an Iranian population with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a case-control study

Background

This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence, genotypic patterns, and predominant mutations of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among diabetic patients.

Methods

Serum samples were obtained from 733 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 782 non-diabetic controls. The presence of HBsAg and HBcAb was determined by ELISA. Nested PCR, targeting S and pre-core regions of the HBV genome, followed by sequencing was carried out to determine HBV genotypes and predominant mutations in the S, basal core promoter (BCP), and pre-core regions of the HBV genome.

Results

Of 733 diabetic patients, 94 cases (12.82%) were positive for HBcAb, 28 cases (3.82%) were positive for HBsAg, and 19 cases (2.59%) had HBV-DNA with genotype D, sub-genotype D1/D3 and subtype ayw2. An occult HBV infection was found in one of the HBV DNA-positive samples, which was positive for HBcAb but negative for HBsAg. P120T/G145R, G1896A/G1899A, and A1762T/G1764T were the most frequent point substitution mutations detected in the S, pre-core, and BCP regions of the HBV genome, respectively. P120T and G145R mutations were associated with low levels or undetectable levels of HBsAg in serum. Therefore, routine tests based on HBsAg detection cannot detect HBsAg-negative infected patients.

Conclusions

Relatively high prevalence of HBV infection was found in diabetic patients, while all of the HBV-infected patients were unaware of their infection. Therefore, screening for HBV infection should be included in the management program of diabetes for timely diagnosis and treatment of infected but asymptomatic patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-022-07528-7.

Prevalence, genotype distribution and mutations of hepatitis B virus and the associated risk factors among pregnant women residing in the northern shores of Persian Gulf, Iran

Background

Considering perinatal transmission and the high rate of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in infants, diagnosis of HBV infection during pregnancy and timely interventions are of great importance. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the prevalence and genotype distribution of HBV infection and the associated risk factors among pregnant women in the northern shores of the Persian Gulf, South of Iran.

Methods

Serum samples of 1425 pregnant women were tested for the presence of HBsAg and HBcAb by ELISA (HBsAg one—Version ULTRA and HBc Ab ELISA kits, DIA.PRO, Milan, Italy). The seropositive samples were tested for the presence of HBV DNA by nested PCR, targeting S, X, pre-core (pre-C), and basal core promoter (BCP) regions of the HBV genome. The amplified fragments were sequenced by Sanger dideoxy sequencing technology to evaluate the genotype distribution and mutations of HBV infection by using the MEGA 7 software. The HBV seropositive pregnant women were tested for HCV and HIV coinfections by ELISA (HCV Ab and HIV Ab/Ag ELISA kits, DIA.PRO, Milan, Italy).

Results

Of 1425 participants, 15 pregnant women (1.05%, 95% CI: 0.64%-1.73%) were positive for HBsAg, 41 women (2.88%, 95% CI: 2.10%-3.88%) were positive for HBcAb, and 5 women (0.35%, 95% CI: 0.15% –0.82%) had HBV viremia with genotype D, sub-genotype D3 and subtype ayw2. One of the viremic samples was positive for HBcAb but negative for HBsAg, which is indicative of an occult HBV infection. HBsAg seroprevalence was higher among pregnant women aged 20 to 29 years, women in the third trimester of pregnancy, residents of Khormuj city, Afghan immigrants, illiterate women, and pregnant women with a history of tattoo and HBV vaccination. The highest rate of HBcAb seroprevalence was observed in residents of Borazjan city, Turk ethnicity, the age group >39 years, and those women with more parities and a history of abortion. Nevertheless, HBV seroprevalence among pregnant women was not statistically associated with these variables. In contrast, HBcAb seropositivity was significantly associated with the history of tattoo (P = 0.018). According to mutations analyses, seven amino acid substitutions in the HBsAg, one point mutation in the pre-C region, and five points mutations in the BCP region were detected. Besides, the BCP mutations caused amino acid substitutions in the X protein. Of note, the conversion of Ala → Val at amino acid 168 (A168V) and Thr → Pro at amino acid 127 (T127P) were detected in HBsAg of the occult HBV strain.

Conclusion

These results indicate a relatively low prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in the South of Iran, while tattooing is a risk factor for exposure to HBV infection. Moreover, all of the HBV-positive pregnant women were asymptomatic and unaware of their infection. Therefore, routine screening for HBV markers during pregnancy, appropriate treatment of HBV-infected women, and HBV vaccination are recommended to decrease mother-to-child transmission of HBV.

The impact of nucleic acid testing to detect human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis B virus yields from a single blood center in China with 10-years review

BACKGROUND

Since 2010, the Blood Center of Zhejiang province, China, has conducted a pilot nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) screening of blood donors for Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study aims to assess the results of NAT testing over 10 years to establish the effects and factors influencing NAT yields of HBV, HCV, and HIV.

METHODS

Blood donations from seven different blood services were screened for HBV DNA, HCV RNA, and HIV RNA using 6 mini pools (6MP) or individual donation (ID)-NAT method between August 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019, at the NAT centralized screening center. We compared 3 transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) assays and 2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Further, HBV, HCV, and HIV NAT yields were calculated and donor characteristics and prevalence of HBV NAT yields analyzed. Donors with HCV and HIV NAT yield were also followed up.

RESULTS

1916.31 per million donations were NAT screening positive overall. The NAT yields for HBV, HCV, HIV and non-discriminating reactive were 1062.90 per million, 0.97 per million, 1.45 per million, and 850.99 per million, respectively, which varied in the seven blood services and different years. HBV NAT yields were higher than those of HCV and HIV and varied across demographic groups. Risk factors included being male, old age, low education level, and first-time donors. We found no differences in NAT yields of HBV, HCV, and HIV between the 3 TMA and 2 PCR assays; nonetheless, statistically, significant differences were noted between the five assays.

CONCLUSION

In summary, NAT screening in blood donations reduces the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections and shortens the window period for serological marker screening. Therefore, a sensitive NAT screening method, ID-NAT workflow, and recruitment of regular low-risk donors are critical for blood safety.

Factors Affecting Blood Donation Intervals And Patterns Of Return Based On A Sample In Southern Iran: A Follow-Up Design

Objectives — The main goal of blood transfusion centers is to recruit and retain more qualified blood donors. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the return of volunteer blood donors. Material and Methods — A cohort study was conducted on all blood donors who donated blood for the first time, from March 21, 2013, to March 20, 2014. They were followed up for five years (up to March 20, 2018). Demographic characteristics, type of blood donation and time interval between two blood donations were recorded as recurrent events. Data were then analyzed using Logit Model for Multinomial Responses and Cox's shared frailty model. Results — Of the 2010 blood donors, 33.7% as the repeated donor and 16.2% as the regular donor had regular donations. The frequency of blood donation was in the range of 1 to 20 with a mean of 4.54±3.29. There was a significant reverse relationship between the number of donations and the time interval between two donations. The variables of gender, marital status and occupation had a significant effect on the blood donation of the repeated and regular donors. Genders, age at the time of the first donation, marital status and occupation had a significant effect on the intervals between blood donations. Conclusions — Most of blood supply of Iran is provided by men and first-time donors. Since the decision to donate and keep donating blood involves many complex issues applied programs are require to convert women and first-time donors into regular donors.

Prevalence and Predominant Genotype of Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Associated Risk Factors among Pregnant Women in Iran

Objective

Knowledge regarding the prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among pregnant women can give clue to health care providers regarding the appropriate management of HCV infection. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence, genotypic pattern, and risk factors of HCV infection among pregnant women in the northern shores of the Persian Gulf, south of Iran.

Methods

From January 2018 to June 2019, serum samples were obtained from 1425 pregnant women, ages ranging from 14 to 46 years (28.1 ± 5.99). Serum samples were tested for detection of anti-HCV antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (HCV Ab ELISA kit, Dia.Pro, Milan, Italy). Following the extraction of nucleic acid, the molecular evaluation of HCV infection was performed by seminested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay (RT-PCR), targeting the 5′ untranslated region (5′UTR) and core of HCV genome and sequencing.

Results

Of the 1425 pregnant women, 19 women (1.33%, 95% CI: 0.85%–2.07%) were positive for anti-HCV antibodies. The majority of HCV-seropositive women were in the third trimester of pregnancy, educated, and had a history of blood transfusion, abortion, surgery, or dentistry. Moreover, Arab and Fars pregnant women and those aged >39 years had the highest rate of HCV seroprevalence. Nevertheless, none of these variables were significantly associated with HCV seropositivity. In contrast, HCV seropositivity was associated with place of residency, so that residents of Khormuj city had significantly higher HCV seroprevalence compared to the residents of other cities (OR: 7.05; 95% CI: 1.75–28.39; P = 0.006). According to the molecular evaluation, 9 of the 19 HCV-seropositive pregnant women (47.37%) had HCV viremia with genotype 3a.

Conclusion

This study reports the HCV prevalence of 1.33% for anti-HCV antibodies and 0.63% for HCV RNA among pregnant women in the south of Iran. Considering the asymptomatic nature of chronic HCV infection and the fact that vertical transmission is possible in women with detectable viremia, therefore, screening of women before pregnancy is recommended to reduce the risk of HCV infection and its complications during pregnancy.

Seroprevalence of Transfusion-Transmitted Infections among Voluntary and Replacement Blood Donors at the Peshawar Regional Blood Centre, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Introduction  Blood transfusion is linked to several risks, most notably the transmission of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs), including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), syphilis, and malaria. The risk posed by these blood-borne infectious agents is high in developing countries, including Pakistan. This fact stresses the need for regular surveillance of TTIs. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to assess the seroprevalence of TTIs at a regional blood center.

Material and Methods  This was a retrospective 4-year descriptive study undertaken at the Regional Blood Centre in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan, on the blood donor data from June 2016 to May 2020. A total of 41,817 donors donated blood during the study period and were screened for HBV, HCV, HIV, syphilis, and malaria. To ensure donor privacy, donors were identified via codes and no personal information was available. The data were extracted from the ZAAVIA blood transfusion information system database.

Results  The study included a total of 41,817 donors—41,493 (99.22%) males and 324 (0.78%) females. Of them, 22,343 (53.43%) were voluntary donors while 19,474 (46.57%) were replacement donors. An overall TTI prevalence rate of 4.61% was found. The TTI prevalence rate in voluntary donors was 3.90% while 5.42% in replacement donors. The overall prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, syphilis, and malaria was 1.95, 1.38, 0.23, 0.91, and 0.14%, respectively.

Conclusion  The current study documented a high prevalence (1,929 out of 41,817, 4.61%) of TTIs, especially in replacement donors (1,057 out of 19,474, 5.42%), and low participation of female donors. The recommendations include the promotion of voluntary blood donors, enrolment of female blood donors, and screening of donated blood through highly sensitive screening assay (i.e., nucleic acid testing).

Sero-epidemiology and associated factors of HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis among blood donors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) remain a major public health problem in developing countries including Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, comprehensive information about sero-epidemiology of major TTIs is lacking at the national level. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed at providing the pooled estimate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis among blood donors in Ethiopia.

METHODS

Relevant studies published until May 31, 2019 were searched through PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, SCOPUS, HINARI, Cochrane database library, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Google. The methodological quality of articles was assessed using Joanna Brigg's Institute critical appraisal checklist for prevalence and analytical studies. The pooled sero-epidemiology of HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis were determined using the random-effects model. Heterogeneity between the studies was assessed using the I² statistics. Publication bias was assessed by visual inspection of the funnel plot and Egger's statistics.

RESULTS

A total of 7921 articles were retrieved, and 7798 were screened for eligibility after duplicates removed. Forty-nine full-text articles were assessed for eligibility; of which 45 were eligible for qualitative and quantitative synthesis: categorized as 36, 34, 31 and 23 studies for estimations of HBV, HIV, HCV and syphilis, respectively. In the random-effects model, the pooled sero-epidemiology of HBV, HIV, HCV and syphilis was 5.20, 2.83, 0.93 and 1.50%, respectively. Moreover, being a male blood donor was significantly associated with HBV and syphilis infection, whereas being a replacement blood donor was significantly associated with a high burden of HIV, HBV and HCV infections.

CONCLUSION

The pooled sero-epidemiology of major TTIs among blood donors was high. Therefore, there is a need to design prevention and control strategies in a comprehensive approach to reduce the burden.

Trends in serological markers of transfusion transmissible infections in blood donations at the Bamenda Hospital-based Blood Service, Cameroon

OBJECTIVES

The rate and trend of transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) in blood donations from 2012 to 2017 at the Bamenda Regional Hospital Blood Service (BRHBS), Cameroon was assessed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A six-year retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the records of donors. Blood was screened for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 21. Differences in seropositivity rates for the four TTIs were analyzed using Chi² test or Fisher's exact test where appropriate. Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and the TTIs markers were assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 12,115 blood donations was included in the study and of these, the overall seropositivity rate of the four conventional TTIs markers was 10.5% (n=1,273). Of the seropositive cases, 23.8% (n=303) showed reactivity with at least two of the markers combined. When the markers were assessed individually, HBsAg recorded the highest seropositivity rate (4.7%), followed by anti-HIV and anti-syphilis (2.2%), and then by anti-HCV (1.7%). A significant decrease in the trend of the combined serological markers, HBsAg and anti-syphilis was observed over the years (P≤0.05).

CONCLUSION

There is a decrease in seropositivity rates of TTIs markers in this blood service. Ongoing efforts toward the prevention of these infections is encouraged and should be intensified to improve blood safety.

Estimating the Transmission Risks of Viral Hepatitis and HIV Among Blood Donors in Hossana, Southern Ethiopia

Purpose

Screening of viral transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) among blood donors is of public health concern. It is a cost-effective method to monitor the occurrence, distribution, and trends of TTIs in healthy people. This study aimed to estimate the magnitude of the three common viral TTIs among blood donors in Hossana, Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 417 blood donors from April to May 2020 in Southern Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and laboratory blood screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using Wantai AiDTM HBsAg, anti-HCV, and HIV 1 + 2 Ag/Ab ELISA. Data were entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with each viral infection. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was calculated. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 417 blood donors participated in this study producing an overall prevalence of viral TTI was 14.38%. HBV, HCV, and HIV prevalence were 9.83%, 2.39%, and 4.31%, respectively. HBV-HIV was a common co-infection, which had 1.2%. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, family history of hepatitis (AOR=5.2, 95% CI (2.92, 7.41)) and multiple sexual contacts (AOR=4.2, 95% CI (2.32-7.43)) were significantly associated with HBV; low educational level (AOR=3.1, 95% CI (2.58-15.25)) and multiple sexual contacts (AOR=4.9, 95% CI (3.51-7.96)) were significantly associated with HIV, but the only variable alcohol consumption (AOR=2.7, 95% CI (6.72-23.76)) was also associated with HCV infection.

Conclusion

In this study, the magnitude of viral TTIs among blood donors is high. This indicates that there are high risks of transmission for these infectious pathogens. Therefore, effective stringent donor selection and screening protocols should be developed.

Clinical, epidemiological aspects, and trends of Hepatitis B in Brazil from 2007 to 2018

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a concern for public health due to its high prevalence, high infectivity, morbidity, and mortality worldwide. Brazil presents a low HBV prevalence, but has considerable heterogeneity among its geographic regions. Here, we describe the epidemiological profile of HBV infection in different regions of Brazil during 2007-2018, as well as the historical trends associated with the infection. We conducted an observational, ecological time-series study using secondary data collected from the National Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN). Our findings suggest that HBV infection was more likely to occur in young, sexually active adults. Individuals from Northeast and Midwest regions were more likely to present acute HBV infection, while individuals from South region were more likely to present chronic HBV infection, reinforcing that specific strategies are required for each particular region. Additionally, we observed a general decreasing trend of infection starting in 2014, however there was an increasing trend of infection in men and in individuals over 40 years old. Although we observed a decreasing trend in HBV infection, active surveillance is needed to prevent HBV spread and possible epidemics, as well as encouraging the vaccination of adults, especially young adult males. Our findings can inform the conduct of large-scale observational studies to evaluate clinical, economical, and social impacts of HBV infections, leading to improved social policies. Finally, our results highlight the need to improve data quality and completeness of epidemiological data, minimizing eventual errors that can make prevention and control strategies difficult.

Seroprevalence and Trend of HBV, HCV, and HIV Infections among Blood Donors of Fars Province, Iran (2006-2018)

Background

Blood transfusion is a life-saving procedure; millions of lives are saved each year. However, blood transfusions are associated with certain risks that can lead to adverse consequences. This study aimed to survey the prevalence and trend of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among blood donors of Fars province, Iran (2006–2018).

Methods

This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing the records of the blood transfusion organization of Fars province. A total of 1952478 blood units were screened for transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). Then, data were entered into SPSS software (Negare. version 25). Chi-square test was used to compare the sof TTIs among blood donors. Chisquare test for trend was used to analyze the variations in trends of TTIs during this period. Finally, p-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. GraphPad Prism software was used for the depiction of the graphs.

Results

Among the 1952478 blood donations within the 13-years, 4479(0.229 %) of donors were HBsAg, HCV Ab, and HIV Ag-Ab positive. The seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV was 2684(0.137%), 1703(0.087 %), and 92(0.0047%), respectively.

Conclusion

The current study showed that the overall prevalence of TTIs among blood donors was low and had a descending trend over the years of study.

Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infections: A Five-Year Retrospective Study among Blood Donors in Saboba District in the Northern Region of Ghana

Methods

A five-year hospital-based retrospective study was carried out among 8605 blood donors comprising 8517 males and 88 females using data on blood donors from Saboba Assemblies of God Hospital located in the Saboba District in the Northern Region of Ghana from 2013 to 2017. Blood bank records on HBV and HCV potential blood donors who visited the hospital to donate blood were retrieved. Donor demographic details, i.e., age and gender, were also recovered. Donors who were registered to the hospital but were not residents of the Northern Region were excluded from the study. Donors with incomplete records were also excluded from the study. The data was managed using Microsoft Excel spreadsheet 2016 and analysed using GraphPad Prism statistical software.

Results

The overall prevalence of asymptomatic viral hepatitis B and C infections in the general adult population was 9.59% (95% CI: 9.00-10.20) and 12.71% (95% CI: 12.00-13.40), respectively, with an HBV/HCV coinfection rate of 2.23% (95% CI: 1.90-2.60). The number of donors generally declined with advancement in years from 2038 (23.68%) since 2013 to as low as 1169 (13.59%) in 2016, except for 2017 where a sharp increase of 1926 (22.38%) was observed. The first and second highest proportions of donors fell within the age categories of 20-29 (51.53% (4434)) and 30-39 (32.90% (2831)) respectively. The seroprevalence rate of HBV, HCV, and HBV/HCV coinfection rates were generally higher among the female group than those observed among the male category. The year-to-year variation in HBV, HCV, and HBV/HCV infections was statistically significant. The highest year-to-year HBV seropositivity rate was 11.48% in the year 2013, while that for HCV and HBV/HCV coinfection was 16.24% and 5.85%, respectively, both documented in the year 2014. HBV and HBV/HCV coinfection rates were highest among donors aged <20 years old, while HCV seroprevalence was highest among donors aged 50-59 years old. Significantly higher odds of HBV/HCV coinfection (OR = 5.2; 95% CI:3.3-8.1) was observed in the 2014 compared to the year 2013. Donors aged <20years were at higher risks of HBV and HBV/HCV coinfection rates compared to the other age groups.

Conclusion

The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among donors in the Saboba District of the Northern Region of Ghana is endemic. The HBV/HCV coinfection rate also raises serious concern owing to its high prevalence rate among the younger age. Intensive public health education coupled with mobile screening and mass vaccination of seronegative individuals is advised so as to help curb further spread of the infection and in effect help safeguard the health status of potential donors in the district.

Seroprevalence and trends of transfusion transmissible infections among retrospective blood donors in Western Azerbaijan Regional Blood Transfusion Center, Iran: A ten-years evaluation

Transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) have been a public health challenge for the accessibility, quality and safety of blood transfusion. The present study aimed to consider the prevalence and the trends of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis across the ten years among retrospective blood donors. A retrospective investigation of blood donors' data covering the period from 22 May 2009 to 22 May 2019 was done. Data was accumulated and analyzed from Blood Transfusion Center records, pertaining to all donors who were screened for various TTIs using respective immunological techniques. Out of the 682,171 screened donors in the 2009-2019 study period, 2470 (0.36 %) were infected with at least one infectious agent. The overall prevalence of HBV, HCV, HTLV-1, HIV and syphilis were 1700 (0.25 %), 184 (0.027 %), 335 (0.05 %), 4 (0.0.05 %) and 247 (0.036 %), respectively. The study showed male dominated donor pool (96.79 %) with higher prevalence (0.34 %) of TTIs compared to female donors (0.02 %) with 3.21 % population. Despite the low prevalence of TTIs in our study, HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV have remained a big threat to safe blood transfusion in Iran. Strict adherence to selection criteria, algorithm of donor screening, use of highly sensitive and specific methods for detection of TTIs, regular consultation and health education programs, prevention and sanitization strategies to reduce the risk of TTIs are recommended to reduce the risk of TTIs and ensure the safety of blood transfusion for recipient.

Trend in Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Blood Donor Individuals: An Eleven-year of Experience in Lorestan, Iran

Background:

Hepatitis B virus is one of the transfusion transmissible infections. Despite the availability of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine and screening tests but still danger of virus transmission via blood transfusion is high in some regions. The objective of this study was to determine the trend of seroprevalence of hepatitis B in over an 11-year period (2005–2015).

Methods:

In this study, 355,083 blood donors were estimated for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) seropositivity during 2005–2015 who referred to blood infusion centers of Lorestan province. Third-generation ELISA method was used to detect HBs Ag.

Results:

The prevalence of HBs Ag in blood donors was 0.29% (1017). It was decreased steadily from 2005 to 2015 (0.68% to 0.12%) but increased in 2008 year. The trend prevalence of HBs Ag seropositivity significantly decreased over the study period (P < 0.001). The decline in HBV infection rates was more prominent in regular and repeated donor's groups compared to people who donated blood for the first time (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

The result of present study was indicated, Lorestan city in west of Iran can be classified as a low-income region because the low prevalence of HBs Ag in blood donors. Also the prevalence of HBs Ag in first-time donors was higher than other groups.

Trends and epidemiological analysis of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and human T-cell lymphotropic virus among Iranian blood donors: strategies for improving blood safety

Background

Blood transfusion is associated with potential risks of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). Different strategies are needed to monitor blood safety and screen the donors’ efficacy, such as evaluation of the prevalence and trends of TTIs. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and trends of TTIs, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV 1/2), and the impact of the donors’ characteristics such as age, sex, and donor status on the prevalence of TTIs in blood donors in seven large provinces of Iran from 2010 to 2018.

Methods

This study was conducted on the data collected from all blood donations in seven Iranian Blood Transfusion Centers including Ardabil, Alborz, Guilan, West Azarbaijan, North, Razavi, and South Khorasan from April 2010 to March 2018. Demographic characteristics, number of donations, donor status, and screening and confirmatory serological results of all blood donations were collected from Iranian Blood Transfusion Organizations (IBTO) national database. The prevalence and trend of HBV, HCV, HIV, and HTLV 1/2 infections were reported according to the donation year and donor’s characteristics.

Results

The analysis of the prevalence and trend of TTIs in 3,622,860 blood donors showed a significant decreasing trend in first-time and regular donors. Additionally, compared to first- time donors, regular donors made safer blood donations with lower risks of HBV, HIV, HCV and HTLV 1/2 (P < 0.0001). Although the prevalence of HTLV 1/2 and HBV was higher in females, TTIs had a significant decreasing trend in males and females. Finally, it was found that the prevalence of HBV and HTLV 1/2 increased with age up to 40–49 years and then decreased thereafter.

Conclusions

The decreasing trends of TTIs in Iranian donors during 9 years may indicate that the various strategies implemented by IBTO have been effective in recent years. Other factors such as a decrease in the prevalence of specific TTIs in the general population might have also contributed to these declines.

Prevalence and trends of transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors in the State of Qatar, 2013-2017

BACKGROUND

Millions of lives around the world are being saved annually through blood transfusion. However, blood transfusion is among the essential vehicles for transmitting infections. The overall prevalence of Transfusion Transmissible Infections among blood donors differs around the world, reflecting the variation in the prevalence of these infections. This study aims to assess the prevalence and trends of Transfusion Transmissible Infections among blood donors in Qatar.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study utilizing donation records of 5 years from January 2013 to December 2017. We included in the study results for all screening and confirmatory tests for Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, Human T-lymphotropic Virus-I/II, Syphilis and Malaria.

RESULTS

Among the 190,509 donations received at the donation centre during the study period, about 91% of donations were received from males and 9% from females. The overall positivity rate for all tests was 1.87, 2.23, 1.78, 2.31, 2.67% for the years 2013 through 2017, with an increasing yearly trend by 6% each year. The overall positivity rates for Hepatitis C Virus, Human T-lymphotropic Virus-I/II, Hepatitis B Virus, Syphilis and Malaria (2013-2017) were 0.60, 0.18, 0.30, 0.43 and 0.20%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The overall positivity rate of all tests combined for the Transfusion Transmissible Infections demonstrated a gradually increasing trend from 2013 to 2017. However, the trend for each infection (Hepatitis C Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Syphilis and Malaria) was fluctuating except for Human T-lymphotropic Virus-I/II, which was increasing. Supporting the development of effective prevention and control strategies requires further comprehensive investigations for better estimation of the burden of these infections.

Seroprevalence and factors associated with hepatitis B virus infection in blood donors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be transmitted during blood donation. This study estimated the pooled prevalence of hepatitis B and associated risk factors in blood donors in Ethiopia. The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. PubMed, African Journals Online (AJOL), the Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), SCOPUS, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and JSTOR were accessed. Articles were searched from the Addis Ababa University research repository. The core search terms and phrases were "Hepatitis", "Hepatitis B", "Blood Donation", "Blood Donor", "Transfusion", "Transfusion Transmissible Infections", "Ethiopia", "Addis Ababa", "Adama", "Bahirdar", "Dire Dawa", "Gondar", "Mekelle", "Hawassa". The data were analyzed based on a DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model using STATA 14 and Review Manager version 5.3. I² was used to quantify between-study heterogeneity. Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis was done. Twenty-seven articles with 308,188 samples were included in the meta-analysis. The studies used HBsAg to diagnose hepatitis B. The pooled prevalence of HBV infection among blood donors was 4.91% (95% CI: 4.21-5.60; I² = 99%). Male sex (p < 0.001), replacement donors (p = 0.007), history of tooth extraction (p < 0.001), and sharp material sharing (p < 0.001) were associated with increased risk, while being a repetitive blood donor was associated with a decreased risk of being infected with HBV (p = 0.02).

First-time Blood Donors Are Double-edged Swords for Blood Transfusion Centers: A Retrospective Study in Southwest Iran

Objective:

First-time blood donors are the most common group of blood donors. They usually have different motivations for blood donation, some of which provoke the donors to hide risk factors of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). Therefore, detection of TTIs among first-time donors is crucial and can decrease the rate of TTIs among blood recipients. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of TTIs among first-time donors in the transfusion center of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province (KBTC), Iran.

Materials and Methods:

This retrospective study was conducted with volunteer blood donors in 2004-2014 in the KBTC. Various data, including sex, confidential unit exclusion (CUE), previous donation history, and the laboratory findings of confirmatory tests, were extracted from blood donor software. Data were analyzed by SPSS using the chi-square test.

Results:

Among 198,501 blood donors, 52,527 (26.46%) were first-time donors, while 145,974 donors (73.54%) were repeat and regular donors. Most of the donors (94.5%) were male, while a minority (5.5%) were female. The CUE option was chosen by 2,237 (1.13%) donors. The incidence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) was 247 (0.13%) and 134 (0.07%) among the entire study population, respectively. Three donors (0.002%) had confirmed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), while none of the blood donors were positive for syphilis. Most of the donors with positive HBsAg (95.8%), HCV (86.6%), and HIV (100%) infection were first-time donors.

Conclusion:

Since TTIs are more common among first-time blood donors than regular and repeat donors, special considerations should be taken into account for this common group of blood donors.

Human and mouse skeletal muscle stem and progenitor cells in health and disease

The proper functioning of tissues and organs depends on their ability to self-renew and repair. Some of the tissues, like epithelia, renew almost constantly while in the others this process is induced by injury or diseases. The stem or progenitor cells responsible for tissue homeostasis have been identified in many organs. Some of them, such as hematopoietic or intestinal epithelium stem cells, are multipotent and can differentiate into various cell types. Others are unipotent. The skeletal muscle tissue does not self-renew spontaneously, however, it presents unique ability to regenerate in response to the injury or disease. Its repair almost exclusively relies on unipotent satellite cells. However, multiple lines of evidence document that some progenitor cells present in the muscle can be supportive for skeletal muscle regeneration. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the complicated landscape of stem and progenitor cells that exist in skeletal muscle and support its regeneration. We compare the cells from two model organisms, i.e., mouse and human, documenting their similarities and differences and indicating methods to test their ability to undergo myogenic differentiation.

Blood Transfusion-Associated Infections in the Twenty-First Century: New Challenges

Blood transfusions are vital components of modern medical treatment to which there is no viable alternative despite efforts to create artificial blood. Each year thousands of lives are saved by blood transfusions in every country of the world. However, blood and blood products can result in significant adverse events including immunologic reactions, infections, inefficacy, and others which can sometimes result in death and severe disability. Thus, the sustainability of safe blood systems and costs are considered to be at crisis level. In industrialized countries, the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections such as HIV, syphilis, hepatitis viruses B and C are very low [generally [<1 in a million units], but in developing countries [especially in Africa] blood safety is still not assured. Compounding the problem of blood/product safety with respect to infectious agents are new emerging infectious microbes that are not being routinely tested for in blood that are donated. This chapter reviews the infectious risk of blood transfusions, types, mode and geographic variation, and the methods being used by blood services to attenuate and prevent these risks.

Hepatitis C virus seropositivity and the risk factors for transmission among blood donors in some selected centers in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects about 0.5% to 2.3% of the world population with most of the cases occurring in developing countries. It is primarily transmitted through transfusion of blood and blood products. There exists dearth of information on burden and circulation of HCV and their attendant health challenges in Nigeria. This study was therefore designed to determine the seroprevalence rate and risk of HCV transmission among blood donors in Lagos State Nigeria. Methodology: Blood samples were collected between January 2002 and December 2006 from 3,002 consenting (Male = 2,922; Female = 80; Age range = 18-63; Median age = 32 years) donors in five selected public hospitals' blood donation centers between 2002 and 2006. Sera was tested for anti-HCV by ELISA technique. Demographic and other relevant information were obtained by a semi-structured questionnaire to assess risk factors for HCV transmission. Results: This study found an overall rate of 3.1% for anti-HCV among the blood donors sampled. Highest rate of 6.0% for HCV was found among participants age ranged ≥50 years and lowest in the age group 40-49 years. Prevalence of HCV was higher in female (6.3%) than in male (3.0%) and was 0.21 times less risky in female compared to their male counterparts (OR = 1.29, 95%CI 0.11-1.31). By location, MSCH had the highest HCV rate (3.9%) and lowest (2.1%) in GHOA. Sharing of sharps for tattoo/tribal markings had a statistical association (p = .0379) with HCV infection. However, no significant difference was found by gender (CI = 0.99-2.01; p = .1002), age (CI = 0.79-1.55; p = .1001) and location (p = .5326). Conclusion: The relatively high prevalence of HCV infection detected and the risk of transmission among blood donors in this study are of public health importance. Hence, the institution of appropriate measures to stem down the trend of HCV circulation among this population in Nigeria is therefore advocated.

Signature of natural resistance in NS3 protease revealed by deep sequencing of HCV strains circulating in Iran

A tremendous upscale of screening and treatment strategies is required to achieve elimination of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Iran by 2030. Among treated patients, at least 5-10% is expected to experience treatment failure. To efficiently retreat cases with prior exposure to NS5A and NS5B drugs, knowledge on the natural prevalence of NS3 resistance is key. The NS3 region of 32 samples from sixteen Iranian HCV patients, among which 6 injecting drug users, was amplified and subjected to deep sequencing. Amplification and sequencing were successful in 29 samples. The reads were assembled to consensus sequences and showed that 6 patients were infected with HCV1a (37.5%), 7 with HCV1b (43.8%) and 3 with HCV3a (18.7%). Nucleotide identities were shared for >97% between intra-host sequences. Two patients were infected with natural resistant viruses, of which one solely comprising low frequency variants. Inferred phylogenies showed that Iranian sequences clustered together for HCV1a and HCV1b, while for HCV3a a potential recombination event was detected. We firstly report the use of deep sequencing for HCV in Iran, demonstrate the use of NS3 inhibitors as salvage therapy in case of retreatment and stress the importance for Iran to prioritize drug users for screening and treatment.

Prevalence and trends in transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors in Brazil from 2010 to 2016

Background

Assessing trends in the rate of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) in blood donors is critical to the monitoring of the blood supply safety and the donor screening effectiveness. The objective of this study was to conduct a trend analysis of TTIs and associated demographic factors of donors at a public blood bank in the central Brazil.

Methods

A retrospective analysis (2010–2016) of blood donation data was performed to determine the prevalence of markers for TTIs. Multinomial and multivariate logistic regression were used to verify the association between the explanatory variables and TTIs. The trend was evaluated with the Prais Winsten’s regression analysis.

Results

The prevalence of TTIs was 4.04% (5,553 donors) among 137,209 donors, with a steady trend in the analyzed period. The seroprevalence for the hepatitis B virus (HBV), syphilis, hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Chagas disease, and human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) were 1.63%, 0.87%, 0.46%, 0.21%, 0.21% and 0.09%, respectively. The prevalence of HBV decreased (b = −0.021, p <  0.001), while syphilis increased (b = 0.112; p =  0.001), during the period investigated. The probability for a positive test for TTI was higher among donors with a low level of education, aged ≥30 years old, without stable marital status, and first-time donors.

Conclusions

Even with the reduction in HBV, the increased rate of syphilis may have contributed to the fact that the overall rate of TTIs did not decrease in the evaluated period.

Seroprevalence and associated risk factors for HIV, Hepatitis B and C among blood Donors in South Gondar District blood Bank, Northwest Ethiopia

Background

Despite the undeniable significance of blood transfusion in saving a millions life in emergencies and medical treatment, the quality of blood faced challenges from transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), HBV (hepatitis B virus) and HCV (hepatitis C virus). This cross-sectional study was undertaken with the aim of determining the seroprevalence and risk factors of HIV, HBV, and HCV among blood donors.

Methods

An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted at Debre Tabor district hospital from January 2017 to February 2018. Blood samples from volunteer donors collected; serum separated and screened with ELISA tests for detection of anti-HIV, hepatitis-B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV. Fishers’ exact test was employed to see the association between variables as well logistic regression tests were applied to identify potential risk factors. P-value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Result

A total of 310 volunteer donors were included in the study. The proportion of blood donors having at least one viral-TTI was 12.6% while the magnitudes of HIV, HBV, and HCV were 2.6, 5.8 and 4.2%, respectively. Educational status and multiple sexual behaviors are significantly associated with HIV acquisition whilst marital status was significantly associated with HBsAg seropositivity.

Conclusion

Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections was high and alarming therefore proper screening of donated blood with test methods having better diagnostic performance should be employed. Also encouragement of blood donation from voluntary donors and creating awareness on the general public regarding HIV, HBsAg and HCV transmission and prevention should be strengthen.

Seroprevalence of transfusion transmitted infections among blood donors in Gash Barka Zonal Blood Transfusion Center, Barentu, Eritrea, 2014 through 2017

Background

Transfusion-transmissible infections pose a major health risk in developing countries, including Eritrea. In the present study, we sought to determine the prevalence of specific transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs) and the associated risk factors among blood donors at a newly established regional blood transfusion center in Barentu, Eritrea.

Methods

The seroprevalence of markers for specific TTIs by sex, age, educational status, residence, occupation, and donor type was evaluated for donors who donated blood between July 2014 and April 2017. The relationship between TTIs and the stated factors was evaluated using the Pearson Chi-square test/Fishers exact test. Adjusted and unadjusted binary logistic regression models were employed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the occurrence of TTIs. A two-sided p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Result

A total of 1939 donors were included in this study. Majority of the donors were males (88.2%), urban residents (68.8%), greater than 25 years of age (67%), and family replacement blood donors (FRBD) (59.7%). Two hundred and fifty (12.9%) donors were infected by at least one TTI. The cumulative seroprevalence of Human immunodeficiency virus, Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus and syphilis were 16 (0.8%), 97 (5%), 13 (0.7%) and 140 (7.2%), respectively. Out of the total 266 infected donors, the prevalence of co-infection was 16 (0.8%). In the adjusted model, the OR and 95% CI for the seropositivity for any TTI associated with age, no formal education, elementary school educational level, and junior school educational level were 1.02 (95% CI: 1.01–1.04), 4.4 (95% CI: 2.58–7.49), 2.67 (95% CI: 1.49–4.80), and 2.00 (95% CI: 1.14–3.52), respectively. In addition, blood from FRBD had an increased likelihood of contamination with at least one TTI, with an OR (95% CI) of 1.56 (1.10–2.21).

Conclusion

The prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections is relatively high. In particular, specific groups in the population appear to be disproportionally affected. Therefore, targeted sensitization campaigns should be implemented in the future.

Prevalence, incidence and residual risk of transfusion-transmitted HBV infection before and after the implementation of HBV-NAT in northern Brazil

Background

Nucleic acid testing (NAT) for virus detection during blood screening has helped to prevent transfusion-transmitted infections worldwide. In northern Brazil, NAT was implemented in 2012 for HIV and HCV and more recently, in January 2015, the screening for HBV was included and currently used concomitant with serological tests (HBsAg and anti-HBc). This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and the incidence of HBV infection among voluntary blood donors at ten regional blood centers of HEMOPA Foundation in Pará state and to compare the residual risk of transfusion-transmitted HBV infection before and after the Brazilian HBV-NAT implementation.

Methods

The prevalence (restricted to first time donors- FT) and seroconversion rate (restricted to repeat donors- RP) of HBV were calculated based on rates of confirmed positive samples. Residual risk was based on the incidence and window period (WP) model described by Schreiber and coauthors. Logistic and Poisson regression were used in the statistical analysis by SPSS v20.0. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

HBV prevalence in the periods before and after the implementation of HBV-NAT were 247 and 251 per 100,000 donations, respectively. Seroconversion rates were 114 and 122 per 100,000 donations in the two periods, respectively. The residual risk (RR) for HBV decreased significantly in the posterior period to the HBV-NAT implementation, when compared to RR before implementation, with a reduction of 1:144,92 to 1:294,11 donations (p <0,001).

Conclusions

The RR to HBV decreased after the implementation of HBV-NAT, increasing significantly the transfusional security in the North region of Brazil at HEMOPA Foundation.

Prevalence and causes of blood donor deferrals among clients presenting for blood donation in northern Tanzania

INTRODUCTION

Blood is an important requirement in different medical and surgical conditions with half of all donations are from developing countries. Lack of eligibility among blood donors who present for blood transfusion, called blood donor deferral is associated with the unsustainable and inadequate amount of blood collected by blood banks worldwide. However, the prevalence and causes of blood donor deferrals are not well known in Tanzania where less than one-third of actual needs of blood is collected, leading to unmet demand of blood for transfusion, and causing unwanted morbidity and mortality.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of blood donors at northern zone blood transfusion center, Tanzania from January to December. 2016. Donor's data were transferred to Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS) program version 20.0 for analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize data and comparisons made by type of donor and deferrals using Chi-square test.

RESULTS

A total of 14377 participants were studied whereby 12775 (88.9%) were voluntary non-remunerated blood donors. The blood donor deferral rate was 12.7% and deferral was significantly more likely in females, with increasing age above 31 years, who came from nearby regions from where the blood bank is located and/or a family replacement donor (P value <0.01). Overall, infections contributed to 62% of all deferrals and low hemoglobin was the leading cause of temporary deferrals while Hepatitis B lead the permanent deferral causes.

CONCLUSIONS

Blood donor deferral is a significant problem in northern Tanzania and accounts for more than one-tenth of all prospective blood donors. Latent and active infections are the leading cause of blood donor deferrals, a picture that mirrors other low income countries especially those located in sub-Saharan Africa. Results of this study calls for appropriate preventive interventions to address prevalent causes of deferrals such as infections with HIV and HBV to tackle low hemoglobin.

Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors at National Blood Transfusion Service, Eritrea: a seven-year retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Blood transfusion is associated with several risks particularly exposure to blood transfusion-transmissible infections (TTI), including: Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Syphilis, among others. The threat posed by these blood-borne pathogens is disproportionately high in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This fact underscores the need for continuous surveillance of TTIs in the region. Therefore, the study objectives were to evaluate the prevalence of TTIs and donor characteristics associated with positivity for TTIs at the National Blood Transfusion Center (NBTC) in Asmara, Eritrea.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of blood donors' records covering the period from January 2010 to December 2016 was undertaken. The records were analyzed to evaluate the annualised cumulative prevalence of TTIs. Chi-square test (χ2) or Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate the relationship between serological positivity and particular donor characteristics. Logistic regression was fitted to identify factors associated with cumulative TTIs positivity. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULT

A total of 60,236 consecutive blood donors were screened between 2010 and 2016. At least 3.6% of donated blood was positive for at least one TTI and 0.1% showed evidence of multiple infections. The sero-prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, syphilis and co-infection was 2.0, 0.7, 0.3 and 0.6%, respectively. Sex, type of donor and region were associated with TTI positivity. Except for donation frequency, there was a significant relationship (P < 0.005) between HBV, HCV, HIV and syphilis sero-positivity and other donor characteristics evaluated in the study.

CONCLUSION

The result demonstrates that Eritrea has relatively low TTI prevalence compared to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, the prevalence, particularly that of HCV, increased significantly in 2016. Enhancing donor screening and additional research utilizing nucleic acid based techniques should therefore be prioritized.

Prevalent hepatitis B surface antigen among first-time blood donors in Gabon

Despite chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection being the main cause of younger-onset complex liver disease including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Africa, very little is known regarding the seroprevalence of HBV in the Gabonese general population. This investigation aimed to provide strong epidemiological data and risk factors associated with HBV infection in first-time blood donors representative of the urban adult population. The screening of HBsAg was carried out using 4th generation ELISA kits. The overall seroprevalence of HBsAg was 7.28%. The frequency of HBsAg was differential and marked by annual variations in blood donors from 2009 to 2016. Seroprevalence was 2-fold higher among males versus females (OR = 1.90 (95% CI: 1.75-2.06), P<0.001). HBsAg seroprevalence was significantly higher in donors of the age group 25-35 years old compared to donors of the age group <18 years (OR = 1.64 (95% CI: 1.03-2.60), P = 0.04). The seroprevalence of HBsAg in family/replacement donors (FRD) was significantly higher than that of voluntary non-remunerated donors (VNRD) (OR = 0.88 (95% CI: 0.83-0.94), P <0.001). The simultaneous comparison of HBsAg seroprevalence with blood donation type, gender and age showed that the higher prevalence in FRD was significant only in males between 18 and 45 years and in females between 25 and 34 years of age. This study confirms the high endemicity of HBV in Gabon while identifying the most infected age groups for both men and women.

Proportion and predictors of transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors in North Shewa Zone, Central North Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) pose a significant challenge for the availability and safety of blood transfusion. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for TTIs among blood donors in North Shewa zone, central North Ethiopia.

METHODS

A retrospective survey of blood donors' medical records was conducted from April 2014 to June 2017 to assess the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis infections. Descriptive statistics such as percentage, median and interquartile range were used to summarize the data.

RESULTS

Out of 8460 donations, 207 (2.4%, 95% CI 2.06-2.71%) had serological evidence of infection with at least one pathogen. Four of the blood donors (0.047%) had co-infection with more than one pathogen; 2HIV/HBV and 2HIV/syphilis. The overall prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, and syphilis among the donors were 1.2% (95% CI 0.98-1.45%), 0.32% (95% CI 0.2-0.44%), 0.25% (95% CI 0.14-0.35%), and 0.71% (95% CI 0.53-0.89%) respectively. Male sex was significantly associated with higher risk of HBV (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.1-2.8) and syphilis sero-reactivity (OR 4.5, 95% CI1.9-10.5). Farmers and older donors were found to be at a higher risk for syphilis seropositivity.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of TTIs among blood donors in North Shewa zone was relatively low compared to those of other geographic places in Ethiopia. However, TTIs remain a concern for the availability and safety of blood transfusion as they are still prevalent in the study area. Therefore, more efforts are required to ensure the safety of blood supply and transfusions.

The epidemiology of hepatitis C virus in Iran: Systematic review and meta-analyses

The aim of this study was to characterize hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemiology in Iran and estimate the pooled mean HCV antibody prevalence in different risk populations. We systematically reviewed and synthesized reports of HCV incidence and/or prevalence, as informed by the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook, and reported our findings following the PRISMA guidelines. DerSimonian-Laird random effects meta-analyses were implemented to estimate HCV prevalence in various risk populations. We identified five HCV incidence and 472 HCV prevalence measures. Our meta-analyses estimated HCV prevalence at 0.3% among the general population, 6.2% among intermediate risk populations, 32.1% among high risk populations, and 4.6% among special clinical populations. Our meta-analyses for subpopulations estimated HCV prevalence at 52.2% among people who inject drugs (PWID), 20.0% among populations at high risk of healthcare-related exposures, and 7.5% among populations with liver-related conditions. Genotype 1 was the most frequent circulating strain at 58.2%, followed by genotype 3 at 39.0%. HCV prevalence in the general population was lower than that found in other Middle East and North Africa countries and globally. However, HCV prevalence was high in PWID and populations at high risk of healthcare-related exposures. Ongoing transmission appears to be driven by drug injection and specific healthcare procedures.

Prevalence and Genotype Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

We included 556 consecutive patients with confirmed type 2 DM attending the Diabetic Clinic of the Bushehr University of Medical Sciences and 733 nondiabetic subjects as controls. Serum levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total cholesterol (TCH), and triglycerides (TG) were measured by enzymatic colorimetric methods, and the presence of anti-HCV antibodies was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Semi-nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by sequencing was performed on all anti-HCV-seropositive samples. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 17, and descriptive statistics, χ2 test, Fisher exact test, and the Student t test were used for analysis.

RESULTS

The seroprevalence of HCV in the diabetic patients was 1.98% (11/556), which was higher than HCV prevalence among the nondiabetic controls (4/733, 0.54%) (p = 0.032). No significant differences in ALT, AST, FBS, TG, and TCH levels were found between the HCV-seropositive and HCV-seronegative diabetic patients, although HCV-seropositive diabetic patients tended to have higher ALT, AST, and TCH levels, but lower TG and FBS levels than HCV-seronegative patients. In logistic regression analysis, only AST levels were significantly associated with HCV seropositivity among diabetic patients. The AST level of 41-80 IU/L was the only significant predictive variable for HCV seropositivity in the diabetic patients (odds ratio, 4.89; 95% CI: 1.06-22.49; p = 0.041). Of the 11 HCV-seropositive diabetic patients, 10 (91%) had HCV viremia with genotype 3a.

CONCLUSION

Patients with type 2 DM had a higher prevalence of HCV infection than controls, and HCV seropositivity was independent of biochemical parameters.

Seroepidemiological Study of Hepatitis B, C and HIV among Blood Donors in Kerman

Background:

Infections transmitted through blood transfusions are the most important issue associated with blood donation. We aimed to provide an assessment of the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among blood donors in Kerman province of Iran.

Methods:

Between 2014-2016, 99,187 samples were examined in a retrospective study in five blood transfusion centers in Kerman province. Serologic screening for HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV1/2 was conducted for all samples and positive cases were confirmed.

Result:

The positives with the initial serological screening tests for HBsAg , anti-HCV and HIV 1/2 numbered 524, 409 and 285, respectively, and based on confirmation tests, final results were 196 , 72 and 1. The highest prevalences of HBV and HCV were reported as 0.36% in Jiroft city and 0.1% in Rafsanjan city. Co- infection with HBV and HCV was observed in the city of Sirjan.

Conclusion:

Blood-borne viral infections in people with low education levels were more common. The prevalence in Kerman province was low as compared to previous studies carried out in other regions of Iran. Application of standard operating procedures, with updated equipment, as well as planning for the use of molecular methods are necessary for the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization, to monitor blood-transmitted infections.

Global elimination of hepatitis C virus infection: Progresses and the remaining challenges

Today, with the introduction of interferon-free direct-acting antivirals and outstanding progresses in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the elimination of HCV infection seems more achievable. A further challenge is continued transmission of HCV infection in high-risk population specially injecting drug users (IDUs) as the major reservoir of HCV infection. Considering the fact that most of these infections remain undiagnosed, unidentified HCV-infected IDUs are potential sources for the rapid spread of HCV in the community. The continuous increase in the number of IDUs along with the rising prevalence of HCV infection among young IDUs is harbinger of a forthcoming public health dilemma, presenting a serious challenge to control transmission of HCV infection. Even the changes in HCV genotype distribution attributed to injecting drug use confirm this issue. These circumstances create a strong demand for timely diagnosis and proper treatment of HCV-infected patients through risk-based screening to mitigate the risk of HCV transmission in the IDUs community and, consequently, in the society. Meanwhile, raising general awareness of HCV infection, diagnosis and treatment through public education should be the core activity of any harm reduction intervention, as the root cause of failure in control of HCV infection has been lack of awareness among young drug takers. In addition, effective prevention, comprehensive screening programs with a specific focus on high-risk population, accessibility to the new anti-HCV treatment regimens and public education should be considered as the top priorities of any health policy decision to eliminate HCV infection.

The Burden and Trend of Blood-Borne Pathogens among Asymptomatic Adult Population in Akwatia: A Retrospective Study at the St. Dominic Hospital, Ghana

Background

This study was aimed at evaluating the seroprevalence and trend of blood-borne pathogens (HIV, HCV, HBV, and Syphilis) among asymptomatic adults at Akwatia during a four-year period (2013–2016).

Materials and Methods

The study was a retrospective analysis of secondary data of blood donors who visited the hospital from January 2013 to December 2016. Archival data from 11,436 prospective donors was extracted. Data included age, sex, and place of residence as well as results of infectious markers (HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis).

Results

The prevalence of blood-borne pathogens in the donor population was 4.06%, 7.23%, 5.81%, and 10.42% for HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis infections, respectively. A significant decline in HBV and HCV infections was observed in the general donor population and across genders. HIV infection rate remained steady while Syphilis infections recorded a significantly increasing trend, peaking in the year 2015 (14.20%). Age stratification in HBV infection was significant, peaking among age group 40–49 years (8.82%).

Conclusion

Asymptomatic blood-borne pathogen burden was high among the adult population in Akwatia. Gender variations in HBV, HCV, and Syphilis infections in the cumulative four-year burden were observed. Awareness needs to be created, especially in the older generation.

HIV-Sero-prevalence trend among blood donors in North East Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Although blood transfusion is one of the known therapeutic interventions that cuts across a number of clinical disciplines. It is necessary to test all intending blood donors for HIV infection before donation. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HIV among blood donors at Dessie Blood Bank, Northeast Ethiopia.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted in Dessie Blood Bank through the year 2008-2012. Sera from blood donors were tested for the detection of Anti HIV by using 4th generation ELISA. Data were abstracted from records and analyzed using Microsoft Excel sheet.

RESULTS

From the total of 9384 screened blood samples collected, the prevalence of HIV in blood donors in the blood bank was 5.1% in the five consecutive years but the trend of HIV infection has decreased from 2008(5.2%) to 2012 (2.3%). The age groups 15-24 and 35-44 were the highest prevalence and the age group 45-54 was the lowest prevalence of HIV infection. The prevalence of HIV among female (7.9%) was higher than in male donors (4.4%). The trend of HIV infection was decreasing for both male and female blood donors.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of HIV infections among blood donors is still high in this study setting, and needs constant monitoring to evaluate prevention and control strategies to reduce the burden of transfusion-transmissible HIV infections.

Lurking epidemic of hepatitis C virus infection in Iran: A call to action

Despite having a relatively low prevalence in the Iranian general population, the burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is on the rise, and hepatitis C is predicted to be the most important leading cause of viral hepatitis-related mortality in the near future in Iran. The recent population-based epidemiological studies have revealed the predominant role of injecting drug use in increasing prevalence of HCV infection. Undoubtedly, new management paradigm is required to drive down the rising wave of hepatitis C in Iran. Priority should be given to young injecting drug users as the cornerstone of the lurking epidemic of HCV infection in Iran.

Transfusion-transmissible viral infections among blood donors at the North Gondar district blood bank, northwest Ethiopia: A three year retrospective study

Background

Transfusion-transmissible viral infections, such as hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), remain a major public health problem in developing countries. The prevalence of these viral infections among blood donors may reflect the burden of these diseases among populations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the sero-prevalence of transfusion-transmissible viral infections among blood donors.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted using data obtained from registration books of blood donors from the Ethiopian North Gondar District Blood Bank from 2010 to 2012. Descriptive statistics, such as percentages, medians and interquartile ranges were computed. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with each viral infection. The odds ratio with a 99% confidence interval was calculated. A p-value < 0.01 was considered statistically significant.

Result

A total of 6,471 blood donors were included in the study. Of these, 5,311 (82.1%) were male, and 382 (5.9%) were voluntary blood donors. Overall, 424 (6.55%) of the blood donors were sero-reactive for at least one transfusion-transmissible viral infection. Of all study participants, 233 (3.6%) were sero-reactive for HBV, 145 (2.24%) were sero-reactive for HIV, and 51 (0.8%) were sero-reactive for HCV. Four (0.062%) of the study’s participants were co-infected: 3 (75%) with HBV-HCV and 1 (25%) with HIV-HBV-HCV. Being a farmer, unemployed or employed donor was significantly associated with transfusion-transmissible viral infections compared to being a student donor.

Conclusion

The prevalence of transfusion-transmissible viral infections is substantial and has increased overtime. Hence, it demands more vigilance in routine screening of donated blood prior to transfusion. Further community-based studies to identify societal risk factors are necessary.