Seroprevalence of hepatitis B: Do blood donors represent the general population?

Abstract

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to compare the HBV seroprevalances of voluntary blood donors and the healthy persons who required premarital screening. Methodology: HBsAg ELISA results were collected retrospectively from the records of 9,949 blood donors and 954 healthy persons who required premarital screening. Results: HBsAg was detected in 182 of 9,949 (%1.8) voluntary blood donors and 32 of 954 (%3.4) healthy persons who required premarital screening. HBsAg seropositivity was significiantly higher in the healthy persons who required premarital screening than in blood donors (p = 0.0016). Conclusion: Premarital screening is mandatory in our country, and it may provide more accurate epidemiological data to determine HBV seroprevalence than in other selected groups such as blood donors. © 2012 Karaosmanoglu et al.