BACKGROUND At present, the number of transfusions approaches 16 million annually. 1 Transfusions are lifesaving, but they are also associated with life threatening hazards. Prevalence of infection which can be transmitted by transfusion is increasing in the community. In 1991, with every unit of blood there was 1% chance of transfusion associated problems including Transfusion-transmitted diseases. 2 Dreadful and life-threatening complications of transfusion are Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV 1 and 2. HIV-2 was first confirmed in West Africa. 3 HIV-1 is the major infection in India, Africa and other developing countries. Usually mandatory tests for five infections are done on blood before transfusion as instructed by National Aids Control Society of India. They are ELISA test for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C & HIV (Anti HIV 1 & 2), VDRL test for syphilis, Antigen detecting card test for Malaria. MATERIALS AND METHODS The seroprevalence of five transfusion-transmitted infections i.e. Hepatitis B, C HIV Malaria and Syphilis among blood donors who attended the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram from November 2007-October 2010 was retrospectively analysed. A Retrospective descriptive study was done. The data of 74280 donors were analysed. The data of the variables were collected from the donor's registration card in the department, variables were collected from the donor's registration card in the department. Total number of donors and seropositives were categorised according to their age, education, socioeconomic status, gender, and marital status. In each category, the seropositivity is compared with the total number of donors in that particular group. Percentage of positivity is calculated from total positives. The percentage of each disease was then analysed according to age, education, socioeconomic status, gender and marital status. RESULTS In the present study, data of 74280 blood donors were analysed retrospectively. The total number of seropositive donors were 2601. This comes up to 3.5% of total donor population. The distribution of five infections in seropositive donors were as follows: HBV 1547 (59.5%), HIV 421 (16.2%), HCV 407 (15.6%), VDRL 138 (5.3%) and malaria 88 (3.4%). Data According to Age Group-Data was analysed according to the age group. It was observed that compared to the total donors the seropositivity was comparatively low in the 18-30 years of age group. It was comparatively high in all the other age groups. These findings were statistically significant, p value <0.01. HBV was the predominant infection in all the age groups except 51-60 years where HIV was the predominant infection. According to educational status, donors were grouped into professionals, graduation and above, below graduation and students. Majority of the donors belonged to the below graduation group, professionals were of very low number. Comparing the total donors with seropositivity of that particular groups it was observed that the seropositivity was significantly low in pro...

BACKGROUNDPrevalence of infection, which can be transmitted by transfusion are increasing in the community. Even after the introduction of screening tests, the incidence of transfusion transmitted infections are still reported. The seronegative window can be closed to certain extent by educating and interviewing the donor.This study is undertaken to analyse the high-risk behaviour among the donors and to find out the proportion of self-deferral of donors attending the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. MATERIALS AND METHODSThis is a prospective analysis of the donors attending the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram from November 2010 to January 2011, for having high-risk behaviour. Analysis of the prevalence of high-risk behaviour according to age, marital status and gender is done by making them fill a proforma and education was given to the donors to promote self-deferral. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was done. Statistical tests done were Chi square test and Z test for proportion. RESULTSIn the study, 5184 apparently healthy donors between the age group of 18 and 60 years were studied during the period from November 2010 to January 2011. Among the 5184 donors, 639 (12.3%) donors were admitted of having high-risk behaviour and 4545 (87.7%) donors did not give any history of high-risk behaviour. Among the high-risk donors 39 (6.1%) were alcoholics, 15 (2.3%) were drug addicts, 90 (14.1%) had the habit of chain smoking, 54 (8.5%) had history of extramarital sex, 318 (49.8%) had history of homosexuality and 366 (57.3%) had history of pre-marital sex. Many of the donors had more than one risk factor. According to age wise classification in 18 -30 years of age group, out of the 3213 (62%) donors 390 (12%) gave history of risk factors, 2823 (88%) had no history of risk factor. In 31 -40 age group, out of the total 1500 (28.9%) donors 1314 (88%) had negative history and 186 (12%) gave positive history. Among the 450 (8.6%) donors of 41 -50 years' age group, 387 (86%) gave negative history and 63 (14.1%) gave positive history. In age group of 51 -60 years out of the total 21 (0.5%) donors none gave any history of risk factors. The age wise distribution of high-risk behaviour among donors were almost the same as in the distribution of donors according to age. There was no statistically significant variation in any of the age groups, p value > 0.05. On gender wise analysis, only six females donated during the study period and one of them gave positive history for high-risk behaviour. Of the total 5184 donors, 2283 (44%) of the donors were married and 2901 (56%) were unmarried. Among the donors with positive history, 51.6% belonged to the married group and 48.4% belonged to the unmarried group. Donors with negative history, 43% belonged to married group and 57% to unmarried group. The positive history for risk factors were significantly high in the married group and significantly low in the unmarried group, p value < 0.01; ...