title: Prevalence of seromarkers of HBV and HCV among blood donors in eastern Saudi Arabia, 1998-2001.
abstract: The prevalence of serological markers of HBV and HCV were determined for blood donors in eastern Saudi Arabia. Between 1998 and 2001, 13,443 donors (10,778 Saudi and 2665 non-Saudi), were screened for HBsAg, anti-HBc Ab, and anti-HCV Ab using commercial kits. There was a steady decrease in the HBsAg (2.58 and 1.67%), anti-HBc rates (15.32 and 9.15%), and anti-HCV (1.04 and 0.59%) rates between 1998 and 2001, respectively. However, there was a marked difference between Saudi and non-Saudi donors with regard to anti-HBc (P < 0.001) and anti-HCV (P < 0.01), but not HBsAg prevalence rates in the same time period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: L A M
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bashawri
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Fawaz
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Qadi
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Almawi
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens