Prevalence of Transfusion-Transmitted Infections in Blood Donors in a Tertiary Care Centre

Abstract

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...