Markers of Hepatitis Viruses by ELISA among Healthy Blood Donors.

This cross sectional study was done to have a comprehensive idea about prevalence and distribution of HBsAg and anti-HCV. The present serosurveilance study was done on healthy selected blood donors and conducted in the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh for their relatives and friends and also voluntarily from January 2001 to July 2003. Samples were collected from blood donors (Voluntary and Party) who came for donation of blood. Blood samples taken from 10,200 apparently healthy blood donors with or without the previous history of jaundice in the Transfusion Medicine department of BSMMU was tested for HBsAg and Anti-HCV by standard commercial ELISA method during the period from 1st January 2001 to 30th June 2003. Reactive samples were retested. Samples positive in duplicate tests were taken as positive. Within 10,200 samples 550(5.39%) were found positive for HBsAg and 84(0.823%) positive for anti-HCV. Among 8670(8%) male donors 470(5.42%) was positive for HBaAg and 70(0.91%) positive for anti-HCV. Among 1530(15%) female donors 80(5.29%) found positive for HBsAg and 14(0.807%) positive for anti-HCV. Prevalence of both is more in male than female, young donors below 30 years (80%) are of least prevalence 4.43% for HBsAg and 0.73% for anti-HCV. Markers are raised in prevalence with age, highest among aged donors above 40 years 14.5% and 2.62 respectively. Markers are of least prevalence among students (4.47% and 0.47%), highest among working people (7.90 and 0.91%). Within 10,200 donors no one was found concomitantly positive for HBsAg and anti-HCV, study may help to have a comprehensive idea about prevalence and distribution of HBV and HCV among healthy blood donors/party donors 9,996(98%) and voluntary donors 204(2%).