[Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C virus, human immunodeficiency virus and syphilis in the blood donors]

Abstract

Transfusion-transmitted infections are the most commonly encountered complications in transfusion practice. Serological markers for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Treponema pallidum were screened in blood banks routinely. These tests are obligatory for transfusion safety and may give an idea about the seropositivity rates of a specific region. In this study, the results of 29,049 volunteer blood donors who were admitted to Blood Center of Kocaeli University Hospital between January 1999 to January 2004, have been retrospectively evaluated. HBsAg, anti-HCV and anti-HIV-1/2 were screened by microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA), and syphilis antibodies were screened by rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test in the Blood Center Laboratory. The seropositivity rates for HBsAg, anti-HCV and RPR were found as 2.3%, 0.37% and 0.02%, respectively. Eight donors were found seropositive for anti-HIV-1/2, but they were all accepted as false positive results, since the western blot confirmation tests were all negative.