The prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies among the voluntary blood donors of New Delhi, India

Abstract

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of transfusion-associated hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study was conducted with an objective to evaluate the prevalence of anti-HCV antibody in New Delhi, India using a large number of healthy voluntary blood donors. A total of 15,898 healthy voluntary blood donors were subjected to anti-HCV testing (using a commercially available third generation anti-HCV ELISA kit) and 249 were found to be reactive for anti-HCV antibody, yielding an overall prevalence of 1.57%. No significant difference was found between the HCV positivity rate of male (1.57%; 238/15,152) vs. female (1.47%; 11/746) donors, family (1.58%; 213/13,521) vs. altruistic (1.51%; 36/2377) donors and first-time (1.55%; 180/11,605) vs. repeat (1.61%; 69/4293) donors. The age distribution of anti-HCV reactivity showed a maximum prevalence rate of 1.8% in the age group of 20-29 years. In addition, there was a clear trend of decreasing positivity for anti-HCV with increasing age and this trend was statistically significant. The results of the present study show that the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in the healthy voluntary blood donors of New Delhi, India is considerably higher than the reported seroprevalence of HCV in majority of the industrialized nations and this represents a large reservoir of infection capable of inflicting significant disease burden on the society. In addition, donors of New Delhi, India showed a trend of decreasing seroprevalence with increasing age, possibly implying a higher exposure rate to HCV in younger subjects.

Assessment of prevalence of sexually transmissible infections among voluntary blood donors and its comparison with replacement donors at Hassan Institute of Medical Science, Hassan, Karnataka, India

“…8 probably we collect majority of the blood through blood donation camps. The prevalence of HIV in present study was 0.11% (12), which is lower than the study done by Bharat S et al 0.8% and another study by Pallavi P et al showed 0.44% (Table 3). 10,11 it has been found that prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV among blood donors or the general population varied from country to country and place to place.…”

Prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies among indoor patients and blood donors attending a tertiary care hospital in North India

“…Various studies from northern parts of India have reported HCV seroprevalence ranging from 0.53 to 5.1% in blood donors. 7,21,22 HCV seropositivity in the western part of India has been reported to be 0.28%. 23 The reported variation in the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies among blood donors in different regions of India may be attributed to the differences in the literacy rate and level of awareness among the blood donors.…”

“…4,5 Blood transfusion is an important life saving measure and an integral part of Amongst the viral hepatitis strains, Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is most dangerous etiological agent of transfusion-associated hepatitis as its morbidity rate is quite high with around 85% of the acutely infected patients progressing to chronic infection such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. 7,8 Blood transfusion is an effective mode of transmission of HCV infection as it allows a large quantum of infective virions into the susceptible patient. 3 It has been shown to be responsible for up to 90 percent of cases, previously known as Non A Non B (NANB) transfusion-related hepatitis.…”

Seroprevalence of anti HCV antibodies among blood donors: a retrospective study from Haryana, India

“…12,14,15 In a recent study done in Hisar, Haryana, the seroprevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was calculated to be 1 per cent. 16 A study done in Orissa reported anti-HCV seroprevalence to be 1.98 per cent.…”