Study of the Prevalance of HbsAg & VDRL in Blood Donors of Ramadan Province-West of IRAN

  SUMMARY Hepatitis B Virus is one of the most important and common infections agent in the world and is prohably endemic in IRAN. In our study the 12 years prevalance (April 1981-December 1993) HBsAg and VDRL positive cases and their relationship with some epidemiologic factors such as sex, age, occupation among the blood donors of the Ramadan province (west of IRAN) have been considered. The total prevalance ofHBsAg & VDRL positive among 104236 blood donors was 2.96% and 0.17% respectively. 164 of HBsAg positive cases were studied from the point of HBeAg & HBeAb, 82.3 % were HBeAb positive , 11 % HBeAg positive & in 6.7% both factors were negative. From 120 HBsAg cases who were studied for AST & ALT, 12.5% had abnormal ALT (more than triple much normal) & 15% had abnormal ALT (more than triple much normal). From 259 HBsAg positive cases, 5% had abnormal total bilirubin & 3.5% abnormal direct bilirubin. In HBsAg positive cases F/M ratio was 1.1 to 1 (P=0.02), the most prevalent age group (7.14%) was more than 60 yrs old (P=0.00), married to unmarried ratio was 1. 2 to 1 , (P = 0. 00). The most prevalent positive cases (3.52%) were among the farmers, (P=0.00) & the most positive cases (8.31 %) from the point of location were in Nahavand city, (P=0.00). The proportion of HBsAg +tive in different blood groups was as follows: 0 >A> AB> B (P=0.44) and Rh+> Rh -(P=0.00). The most prevalent positive cases (3.52%) were among the farmers, (P=0.00) & the most positive cases (8.31 % ) from the point of location were in Nahavand city, (P=0.00). The proportion of HBsAg +tive in different blood groups was as follows: O >AB> B (P=0.44) and Rh+> Rh-(P=0.00). 0.45% of HBsAg positive cases were VDRL positive either. In VDRL positive cases F/M ratio was 2.8 to 1 (P=0.00), the most prevalent age group (2%) was more than 60 yrs old (P=0.00), married to unmarried ratio 1.5 to 1. The most prevalent (0.33%) were among housewifes, (P=0.00) & the most positive (0.44%) cases were in Nahavand city, (P=0.00). The proportion of VDRL positive in different blood groups as follows: B >A> AB (P=0.68) & Rh+> Rh-(P=0.05). Through this study the importance of Hepatitis B prevention, control and treatment of the disease is better confirmed. We advise the expansion of health education about roots of transmission of infection, immunization of children and high risk populations, to prevent from increase of infection am) mortal complications.