Seroprevalence of transfusion transmissible infections [TTIS] in blood donors

ABSTRACT

To find out the seroprevalence of HIV, Hepatitis B, C virus and Trepenoma Pallidum among the healthy blood donors, at Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital, Lahore. Descriptive study. Blood Bank of GTTH, Lahore, from 1st January to 31st December 2008. All healthy blood donors reporting to blood bank in the specified study period were screened for HIV, Hepatitis B, C and Syphilis. A total of 6659 donors were screened, out of these 512 donors [7.69%] were seropositive for Hepatitis C, 113 [1.70%] were sero positive for Hepatitis B, 35 [0.5%] were seropositive for syphilis and only 3 [0.05%] had shown seropositivity for HIV. Transfusion transmissible infections are a major threat associated with unscreened blood donations. In Pakistan the prevalence of Hepatitis B and C is very high in occult form. Selection of healthy blood donors and public awareness programs targeting local community will be an important measure to stop its transmission through blood transfusion