[Decline in the prevalence of HTLV-1/2 among blood donors at the Regional Blood Center of the City of Uberaba, State of Minas Gerais, from 1995 to 2008].
BACKGROUND
A retrospective study was conducted in order to assess the prevalence and factors associated with seropositivity for HTLV-1/2 between 1995 and 2008 in Uberaba Regional Blood Center, and to describe the seropositive blood donors in relation to gender, age, marital status, skin color and origin.


METHODS
Descriptive statistical analysis, chi-square tests and odds ratios were produced to compare proportions, along with scatter charts with linear correlation coefficients.


RESULTS
Among the donors tested, the prevalence of seropositivity for HTLV was found to be 0.02%, with indeterminate results in 0.09%. There was a significant reduction in seropositivity for HTLV between 2002 and 2008, compared with the period from 1995 to 2001. Among the seropositive individuals, females were significantly predominant.


CONCLUSIONS
The gradual decrease in seropositivity over this period was attributed to the permanent exclusion of seropositive repeat donors and improvement in the clinical screening methods and serological tests over the years, with a positive impact on transfusion safety.
Lima
Guilherme Manso de
GM
Bolsista de Iniciação Científica, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG.
Eustáquio
José Martins Juliano
JM
Martins
Raquel Alves
RA
Josahkian
Juliana Alves
JA
Pereira
Gilberto de Araújo
Gde A
Moraes-Souza
Helio
H
Martins
Paulo Roberto Juliano
PR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult