Prevalence of hepatitis B and C and blood donors.
OBJECTIVE
Screening for hepatitis B and C is routinely carried out in the blood banks. The purpose of this study is to compare the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and anti hepatitis C among Saudi and non-Saudi blood donors.


METHODS
All the blood donors visiting King Fahad Specialist Hospital were screened by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay technique for hepatitis B surface antigen and anti hepatitis C. Donors with any history of jaundice in the past were eliminated from the study.


RESULTS
Egyptians showed a very high prevalence of Hepatitis C. Saudis had a higher prevalence of hepatitis B compared to hepatitis C.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of hepatitis B and C among Saudis of Qaseem region is low, while for Egyptians the results correspond to previous studies.
Mehdi
S R
SR
Department of Laboratory Medicine, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Buraidah, Qaseem, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. riaz_mehdi@hotmail.com
Pophali
A
A
Al-Abdul Rahim
K A
KA
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004534:Egypt / Q000208:ethnology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies