Risk factors of hepatitis C virus infection in blood donors in Thailand: a multicenter case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in healthy blood donors in Thailand MATERIAL AND METHOD: We performed a case-control study of 435 HCV-seropositive blood donors and 894 HCV-seronegative blood donors as controls. The study was done with direct interview regarding demographic characteristics and risk factors. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: The final multivariable model included only the following independent HCVrisk factors: intravenous drug user (IDU) (OR = 61.5; 95%CI, 26.6-142.5), previous blood or blood products transfusion (OR = 12.3; 95%CI, 7.6 -19.9), sharing of razors (OR = 2.3, 95%CI, 1.6-3.2),unsafe injection (OR = 3.3, 95%CI, 1.8-5.9), unused condom (OR = 1.6; 95%CI, 1.1, 2.4). No risk was shown for a history of tattoo, ear piercing, or acupuncture and multiple sexual partners. CONCLUSION: The risk factors for HCV infection in healthy blood donors in Thailand are IDU, past history of blood transfusion and unsafe injection.

HLA class II (DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1) allele and haplotype frequencies among HIV-infection discordant Thai couples.

We investigated the association of HLA-DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1 alleles and haplotypes in 33 Thai HIV discordant couples. A significantly lower frequencies of DRB1*14 (3.0% vs 11.3%, p = 0.048) and DQA1*0103 (0.0% vs 5.63%, p = 0.042) alleles were found in the seropositive individuals when compared with HIV-negative controls. In contrast, there was no significant difference in HLA-DQB1* allele frequencies. The haplotype analysis revealed that DRB1*1501-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0601 (7.6% vs 0.0%, p = 0.002), DRB1*0405-DQA1*0302-DQB1*0401 (7.6% vs 1.3%, p = 0.024) and DRB1*1401-DQA1*0104-DQB1*05031 (6.1% vs 0.0%, p = 0.007) were found to be significantly higher frequencies when compared between HIV seronegative partners and HIV negative controls, but DRB1*1501-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0502 (0.0% vs 8.1%, p = 0.01) was significantly lower. The DRB1*1602-DQA1*0101-DQB1*0502 (4.6% vs 0.0%, p = 0.024) haplotype was found to be significantly higher frequencies in HIV seropositive individuals when compared to HIV negative controls but the DRB1*1502-DQA1*0101-DQB1*0501 (1.5% vs 8.1%, p = 0.049) haplotype was lower.