Trends in hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus among blood donors over 16 years in Turkey.
BACKGROUND
We document in the present study the trends over the sixteen years in HBV and HCV seroprevalence among blood donors in Turkish populations.


METHODS
In this study, serologic test results of whole blood (n = 6.240.130) donors at 22 Red Crescent Centers between 1989 and 2004 were evaluated retrospectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall prevalence was 4.19% for HBsAg and 0.38% for HCV antibody during the study period. The annual prevalence of HBsAg gradually increased from 4.92% in 1989 to 5.23% in 1991 (p=0.001, t=21.00, CI(95), 17237-22490) and gradually decreased from that to 2.10% in 2004 (p=0.001, t=17.27, CI(95), 12869-21342). The seroprevalence of HCV antibody gradually increased from 18 per 10.000 in 1996, to 56 per 10.000 in 1998 (p=0.073, t=3.81, CI(95), 459.62-5721.23), while that decreased to 34 per 10.000 in 2004 (p=0.021, t=7.49, CI(95), 743.98-3980.11). The seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C has decreased markedly between 1989 and 2004 in Turkey. This could be related to the significant increase in the number of volunteer blood donors that increased from 135,779 to 197,815.
Gurol
Emekdas
E
Turkish Red Crescent Center-Ankara, Turkey.
Saban
Cavuslu
C
Oral
Oncul
O
Cigdem
Artuk
A
Armagan
Aksoy
A