Study of Viral Infections Prevalence in Blood Donors of Qazvin Province in Different Time Intervals and During Bam Earthquake

Abstract

Background: Safety of Blood products and plasma derivates is one of main concerns in transfusion sector. Screening of donated blood became an emerging item to large extent because of Hepatitis C and B virus, (HCV, HBV) and HIV epidemics especially in blood donation campaign following disasters. In this study we aim to evaluate the pattern of variation of viral infection markers donated at three consecutive year and during Bam earthquake disaster.

Materials and Methods: Using donors' electronic information system in Qazvin province of Iran, all data about demographic characteristics and HCV, HBV markers were assessed and analyzed with SPSS software. Time period of 11 days after Bam disaster in 2003 was compared with similar period in 2002.

Results: Prevalence of HBV and HCV contamination in donated bloods were 0.45 and 0.15 percent respectively and there was no differences regarding gender and marital status. Consecutive blood donors (45.3 percent of subjects) had lower rate of infection compared with others (p‹0.05). HBV infection had a significant descending rate in three years but there was no similar pattern regarding HCV. Despite 3.6 times increase in blood donation rate the contamination rate during Bam disaster had no differences with similar time period in previous year.

Conclusion: Decrease in HBV infection prevalence may be the result of installation of donors' electronic information system in second year of study. Despite the fact of no increase in prevalence of blood contamination, it is necessary to close monitoring of blood donation during disaster to ensure blood safety.