Prevalence and trends of transfusion transmitted infections among blood donors of blood bank attached to government hospital of South Gujarat, India

Abstract

Background: Though the blood transfusion is lifesaving, it is never risk free and carries potential risk for transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs).The objective of present study is to assess the prevalence and trend of TTIs among blood donors in the blood bank attached to tertiary level government hospital and its comparison with national data and other studies of different regions. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study was done including healthy blood donor of 18-65 years from May 2011 to April 2016. TTIs testing were done with 3 rd generation ELISA for HIV, HBV and HCV and HIV testing was also done with 4th generation ELISA from the year 2014 onwards. Syphilis screening was done either by RPR, TPHA strip test or ELISA and Malaria parasite was tested either by peripheral smear or rapid test. Results: From 40971 donors in study, 550 (1.34%) donors were sero-reactive from which 400 (0.98%) donors were reactive for HBV, 67 (0.16%) were for syphilis, 40 (0.098%) were for HCV, 33 (0.081%) were reactive for HIV and 10 (0.024%) were malaria positive. During the study period four donors showed co infection for HIV and HBV. Most common age group to be sero reactive in the present study is 21-30 years of age (43.09% of total). Conclusions: Prevalence of TTIs in the present study was lower as compare to other studies of the India. The reasons behind this finding may be better pre-donation counseling, better life style, higher proportion of voluntary blood donation (> 99%) and high pre-donation deferral rate (11.17%).