title: Prevalence of viral markers among first-time Arab blood donors in Kuwait.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to assess the effect of blood donation modes on the prevalence of viral markers among Arab first-time blood donors in Kuwait.
  
  
  METHODS
  Donor ethnic background was classified as Kuwaiti nationals and non-Kuwaiti Arabs. A total of 26,874 donors were screened in 2002 for the following viral markers: hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-hepatitis B core antigen (HBc), human immunodeficiency virus-1 and -2 antibody (anti-HIV-1 and -2), HIV p24, and human T lymphotropic virus-I and -II antibody (anti-HTLVI/II). All samples positive for the presence of anti-HBc were tested for anti-HBs. Among these donors, 12,798 were first-time donors of which 74 percent were replacement and 26 percent were volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of HCV among replacement donors was significantly higher than the volunteer group. The difference between the two modes of blood donations, however, was not significant for HBsAg. The prevalence of anti-HCV among Kuwaiti national and non-Kuwaiti Arab first-time donors was 0.8 and 5.4 percent, respectively, whereas the prevalence of HBsAg was 1.1 and 3.5 percent, respectively, with the difference being significant at a p level of <0.0001. The difference observed for prevalence of anti-HBc among Kuwaiti national and non-Kuwaiti Arab donors (17 and 33.3%, respectively) was significant (p < 0.0001). Among first-time donors, 13.7 percent were positive for the presence of anti-HBs, indicating that 13.7 percent of the total Arab donor population might have had a previous infection and possible immunity to hepatitis B virus (HBV).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high prevalence of HBV and HCV was found among non-Kuwaiti Arab donors. The prevalence of anti-HCV was only significantly higher among replacement versus volunteer first-time donors. Therefore, there is a need to develop a strategic plan that incorporates the diverse background of the blood donors living in Kuwait.
authors.affiliation: Medical Laboratory Sciences Department and the Health Information and Administration Department, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, and the Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait. reemameen@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Reem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ameen
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sanad
authors.forename: Salem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Shemmari
authors.forename: Iqbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Siddique
authors.forename: Rafiq I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Samia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Hamdan
authors.forename: Abdulaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Bashir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006800:Deltaretrovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers