PREVALENCE AND TRENDS OF TRANSFUSION TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS (TTIS) IN BLOOD DONORS OF DISTRICT PESHAWAR AND WAH CANTONMENT, NORTHERN PAKISTAN.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52206/jsmc.2015.5.1.621-625Abstract
BACKGROUND: World Health Organization (WHO) confirms Pakistan amongst those nations which
are affected the most by Hepatitis B and C. Studies also suggest blood transfusion to be one of the major
risk factors for the high sero-prevalence of these diseases in the general population. Very few studies
have been carried out to establish the prevalence of TTIs among blood donors in Northern Pakistan. To
estimate the prevalence and trend of transfusion related transmission of infection in Northern Pakistan, a
study was carried out among records of blood donors to detect different infection from the year 2007 -
2012.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study to audit the records of 423078 blood donors was
carried out in five major Blood Bank Units of Northern Pakistan which included Khyber Teaching
Hospital Peshawar, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Hamza Foundation Peshawar, Hayatabad Medical
Complex Peshawar and POF Hospital Wah Cantonment, Punjab from January 2007 through May 2012.
In order to investigate differences among the trends of different variables in year 2007 - 2012, one-way
ANOVA was used.
RESULTS: Combined sero-prevalence of Transfusion Transmitted infections were calculated as
4.245%. The break up is as follows: HCV Ab: 1.856% (7855), HBS Ag: 2.170% (9184), HIV Ab:
0.0316% (134) and Syphilis: 0.315% (867). A mean increase in the number of blood donors (p-0.000 )
was calculated while other infections also increased significantly [HBS Ag p=0.0001, HIV Ab p= HIV
Ab p=0.0051 and VDRL p=0.011] except HCV [/7=0.55/5], which remained steady over the years.
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of infection of HCV during this period remained steady over the
years, however it is still high. Other transfusion transmitted infections showed increasing trend.
Improvements such as provision of latest screening kits, maintenance of computerized records including
necessary data for follow up should be made. We recommend ‘pre’ instead of ‘post’ donation screening
to be done because of the high seroprevalence of TTIs. Awareness campaigns, seminars and vaccination
programs should be conducted by the health sector, especially for Hepatitis B.
KEY WORDS: prevalence, transfusion, infections.
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