Seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV and VDRL in Donors Apply to a City Hospital Blood Transfer Center

Introduction: The most frequently encountered complication in the transfusion of blood and blood products are transmitted infections from these products. Infections caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remain the leading most important health problems in the transfusion of blood and blood products worldwide. Therefore, screening tests such as HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and RPR or VDRL for Treponema pallidum are mandatory tests to look at before transfusion of blood and blood products. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV and syphilis test results in the mandatory screenings for blood donation. Materials and Methods: A retrospective examination was made of the screening test results of 1326 healthy blood donors, comprising 1270 (95.8%) males and 56 (4.2%) females aged between 18 and 65 years, at Necip Faz？l City Hospital Blood Center between September 1,2012 and July 31,2018 and the results were compared with those of other regions in Turkey. Results: The electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (EIA) technique (Cobas e 601, Roche Diagnostic, Germany) was applied to the blood samples. HBsAg positivity was detected in 7 (0.5%) samples, anti-HCV positivity in 2 (0.15%) and VDRL positivity in 1 (0.07%) using the qualitative lam flocculation method. No anti-HIV seropositivity was detected. Conclusion: It was determined that HBs Ag seropositivity in blood donors in our region is considerably lower than the national average rate and seroprevalence of HBsAg decreased over years. Anti-HCV, anti-HIV and VDRL seropositivity rates are within the range limits defined in previous studies performed in Turkey