Study of Pattern and Trends of Transfusion Transmitted Infections in Apparent Healthy Voluntary Blood Donors in Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of Prakasam District - 6 Years Study

Blood is a life saving resource and also a potential vector for harmful and sometimes chronic fatal infectious diseases like HIV, HBV, HCV. These transfusion transmitted Infections (TTI) are threat to safe blood transfusion. OBJECTIVES The objectives of the study were.1). To evaluate the seroprevalence and trends of TTI among apparent healthy, voluntary blood donors.2). To compare the prevalence of seropositivity with other regions of India and with different regions of Andhra Pradesh. Study was conducted for a period of 6 years from January 2009 to December 2014 at blood bank, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ongole, of Prakasam District which is a Southern coastal region of Andhra Pradesh. MATERIALS and METHODS All Voluntary donors reporting to the blood bank, RIMS, Ongole over a period of 6 years from 2009 to 2014 were screened for HIV, HBV, HCV, Syphilis and Malaria by using ELISA method and RPR method. RESULTS- Total 12, 533 voluntary blood donors were screened of which 11, 903 were males (94.97 %) and 630 were females (5.03 %). Overall Seropositivity of HIV, HBV, HCV, Syphilis were 0.23 %, 3.16 %, 0.39 %, 0.06 % respectively. No blood donor tested showed positivity for Malarial parasite. CONCLUSION- With the implementation of strict donor selection criteria, use of sensitive screening tests and with promotion of non remunerated, repeat voluntary blood donor services, it may be possible to reduce the incidence of TTIs.