Comparing prevalence of transfusion transmitted viral infections in various population groups of South Khorasan

Careful donor selection is necessary for blood safety to raise given the window period of serologic tests. Recognizing differences in infectivity of various groups helps recruitment and retention of best blood donors. Materials and Methods In a cross-sectional study, records of all volunteers from 2006 to 2009 in South Khorasan were reviewed. Confirmed cases of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV 1/2, and HTLV I/II were analyzed by SPSS 17.0 using t-test and chi-square to estimate prevalence rates and show the differences; moreover, the findings were compared against national and regional data on infectious rates among general population. Results Out of 52886 voluntary blood donors and 42652 donations, the prevalence rates of confirmed hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HTLV infections were calculated to be 0.492%, 0.030%, and 0.042%, respectively. The prevalence trends revealed no differences between genders but infections were more prevalent in the first-time, married, and low educated donors. That was also more prevalent among donors referring to mobile blood drives. Conclusions The present study reveals that efforts for recruitment of educated volunteers and expansion of permanent blood donation centers can provide a safer situation for blood donation and achieve safer blood via doing careful consultations and performing appropriate screening tests.