Trends And Frequency Of Transfusion Transmissible Infections Among Voluntary Blood Donors At Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Back ground: Today blood transfusion is safer than ever. Although still it carries potential risk of transmitting TTIs due to certain hurdles like window phase of infections and low sensitive testing approaches. TTIs are caused by different viral, bacteria and parasitic agents. Of these agents HBV, HCV, HIV, T.Pallidum and malaria are of great clinical significance. Pakistan is facing the problem of having high prevalence of TTIs. Here blood and its components transfusion caused known cases of HIV, HBV, HCV, T. Pallidum and Malarial Parasites infections.Objective: To determine the trends and frequency of TTIs among voluntary blood donors at Hamza Foundation Welfare Hospital and Blood Services, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Methodology: In this retrospective cross-sectional study a total of 84078 voluntary blood donors records were observed for TTIs from 12th July 2006 to 31st August 2017. Convenient sampling method was used and all voluntary blood donors with complete records were included in the study. This study was carried out at Hamza Foundation Welfare Hospital and Blood Services, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Results: In the study period 2239 [2.66%] donors were found seropositive for TTIs. Of all the donors, 81839 [97.34%] were found seronegative for TTIs. Among TTIs HBV, HCV, HIV, Syphilis and Malarial infections had a prevalence of 1.67%, 0.6%, 0.02%, 0.32% and 0.06% respectively.Conclusion: The frequency of TTIs is low in contrast to other studies in the region having replacement donors, still it is alarming. Syphilis shows an upward trend in prevalence making it a risk for transfusion. HBV and HCV show a declining trend which is a good sign.