Seroprevalence and trends in transfusion transmitted infections in blood donors: a 6-year experience in a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Blood transfusion continues to be a possible source of pathogens in transfused patients. The pattern of transfusiontransmitted infections (TTI) varies between regions. Knowledge of prevalence of TTIs is essential to monitor safety of blood transfusion by ensuring better practices of collection and processing of blood components. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of TTI in blood donors in a tertiary care hospital in central India. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross sectional study was performed from 2012 to 2017 in a tertiary care government hospital in central region of India. The study analyzes all voluntary and replacement blood donations received through the hospital in its blood bank and blood donation camps organized by the hospital. Results: A total of 54, 831 units of blood was collected over a period of 6 years. Prevalence of TTI in the blood donors was 1.45%. Prevalence of seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), syphilis and malaria were 0.31%, 0.75%, 0.065%, 0.22% and 0.1% respectively. Among all the potential donors, the most common TTI prevalence was that of Hepatitis B followed by HIV and syphilis. Conclusion: Public awareness, careful donor selection, vigilant screening and adoption of newer techniques for inactivation of pathogens are needed to ensure safety of blood products and their transfusion. The public outreach programs such as blood donation camps could be used as a way of spreading awareness to improve the safety and efficacy of a blood donation program.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Among Blood Donors in a Tribal-Preponderant Region of India

“…In the present study, the seroprevalence of HCV was found to be 0.63% (Table 2 ). As compared to our study, the seroprevalence of HCV was reported in blood donors in other parts of India by Garg et al (0.28%) from western India [ 26 ], Mandal et al (0.62%) from Darjeeling [ 35 ], Jindal et al (1.76%) from north India [ 36 ], Saini et al (0.07%) from Indore [ 33 ], Mukherjee et al (0.044%) from western Odisha [ 37 ], Shaiji et al (0.72%) from Trivandarum [ 38 ], Meena et al (0.57%) from Delhi [ 39 ], Pahuja et al (0.66%) from Delhi [ 22 ], Kaur et al (2.44%) from North India [ 29 ], Afrose et al (0.22%) from Aligarh [ 40 ], Ryhan et al (0.22%) from Srinagar [ 32 ], Shah et al (0.33%) from Ahmedabad [ 34 ], Gupta et al (1.45%) from Ludhiana [ 41 ], Bagde et al (0.065%) from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh [ 42 ], Pawan et al (0.50%) from Delhi [ 25 ], Sawke et al (0.57%) from Bhopal [ 43 ], Patel et al (0.14%) from Gujarat India [ 44 ], and Dhariwal et al (0.71%) from Rajasthan [ 31 ]. However, reported seroprevalence of HCV in countries other than India was given by Abebe et al (0.64%) from Western Oromia, Ethiopia [ 45 ], Mobarki et al (1.09%) from Jazan region of Saudi Arabia [ 46 ], Ahmed et al (1.75%) from Karachi, Pakistan [ 47 ], and Alharazi et al (2.0%) from Sana’a, Yemen [ 48 ].…”