Prevalence of transfusion transmissible infections in a hospital attached blood bank

Background: Screening of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) among blood donors is a cost-effective approach to monitor the prevalence, distribution, and trends of the infections among healthy-looking individuals. The study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of four TTIs, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis, among blood donors in a hospital attached blood bank , suraram , hyderabad. Objectives: The present study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of transfusion transmitted infections in blood donors in a small scale hospital attached blood bank. Methods: All the donors reporting to the blood bank were screened for HBsAg, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), HIV by using the appropriate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The Venereal Disease Reference Laboratory (VDRL) test / Rapid Plasma Reagin Test was used for estimation of syphilis infection. Results: The study was designed for duration of two years from January 2012 to December 2013. A total of 2039 blood donors were screened, of which voluntary donors were 644 (33 %) replacement donors were 1369 (67 %). Seroprevalence in 2012 prevalence rate for HIV, HBV, HCV and Syphilis were 0.62%, 2.04%, 1.53%, and 1.47% respectively. In 2013 prevalence rates for HIV, HBV, HCV and Syphilis were 0.66%, 2.47%, 1.70% and 1.15%. Blood is still one of the main sources of transmission of infections. HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C viruses and syphilis are prevalent among blood donors. Conclusion: Voluntary donations are safer when compared to replacement donors. Replacement donations are to be discouraged and promotion of voluntary blood donation should be done. Our study shows is an increase in HBV prevalence, especially among replacement males above 30 years of age