Background: Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection is a major health problem that effects a variety of endemic regions, including the Northeast of Iran. There is a lack of information about HTLV-1 prevalence among blood donors from Mazandaran province, Northern Iran. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of HTLV-1 infection among blood donors in Babol County, the most populated county in Mazandaran province with screening and confirmatory assays. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on 503 blood donors. Serum samples from each blood donor were screened for HTLV-1 specific antibodies using the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Samples that were repeatedly reactive for HTLV-1 specific antibodies on serological screening were additionally confirmed by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of HTLV-1 proviral DNA in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs). Results: Among 503 samples tested by serological enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 13 samples (2.6%) were repeatedly reactive (i.e. on at least 2 of 3 occasions). All repeatedly reactive samples were examined for the presence of the HTLV-1 proviral DNA in PBMCs by real time PCR confirmatory test, of which 1 sample was positive, resulting in HTLV-1 prevalence of 0.2%. Conclusions: The present investigation contributes with new epidemiologic data reporting low prevalence rate for HTLV-1 among blood donors in Babol county of the Mazandaran province. Despite the low prevalence rate, the practice of screening of donated bloods in blood transfusion centers of Mazandaran province should be considered to decrease the risk of virus transmission in this region.

Background and Aim: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) are both transmitted by the fecal-oral route and are known as leading causes of acute viral hepatitis in the world, especially in developing countries. There is a lack of updated data on HAV and HEV seroprevalence in the north of Iran. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HAV and HEV among blood donors in Babol, Iran. Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed in 2018 on 491 blood donors referred to the Babol Blood Transfusion Center. The serum samples were tested for anti-HAV and anti-HEV IgG using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results:The mean age of blood donors was 40.92 ± 9.86 years. An anti-HAV antibody was found in 385 (78.4%), and an anti-HEV antibody was detected in 8 (1.6%) blood donors. The seroprevalence of HAV was a significant correlation to age, marital and educational status (P<0.001). But there was no significant correlation between anti-HEV and all of our study's information factors (P>0.05). Conclusion:This study showed that the incidence of HAV in the age group of <33 years is low, and the incidence of HEV has not changed compared to the past and HEV was lower than in other regions in Iran, and it needs more investigation in the north of Iran to obtain detailed information in anti-HEV seroprevalence.