Seroprevalence of hepatitis B, C and HIV in blood donors in northern Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE To study the seroprevalence and trends of Hepatitis B, C and HIV sero markers in healthy blood donors of Northern Pakistan. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Blood donated by healthy donors from both Armed Forces and civilian population, collected from Jan 1996 to Dec 2000 were tested by Enzyme Linked Immunoassay at Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Demographic data of these donors was also studied. RESULTS Of 103858 blood donors, 3.3% (95% CI 3.20%-3.41%) were HBsAg, 4.0% (95% CI 3.91%-4.11%) were anti HCV and 0.007% anti HIV positive. Their average was 28 years. HBsAg positive donors were a decade younger than anti HCV positive donors. Pattern in Armed Forces and civilians donors was similar but there was significant reduction in the prevalence of HBsAg carriage in all blood donors. CONCLUSION This study supports the changing trends in HBV/HCV seroprevalence in blood donors and a low prevalence of HIV in Pakistani population.