title: Risk factors of viral hepatitis: yet to explore.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The safety of donated blood is the most vital concern of a blood transfusion organization. Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening for blood transfusion products has gained more importance where knowing the prevalence rate will help health policy makers. In this paper, we will evaluate the prevalence of viral infection in donated blood in the province of Qazvin in 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study has been conducted using a registration system of computerized records for donors in Qazvin in 2009 using the consensus mode on 20,591 blood donors. The results of their HBV, HCV, and HIV viral markers were evaluated and analyzed using the chi square statistical test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rate of HBV, HCV, and HIV viral markers using the ELISA primary test in the individuals studied has been 0.28%, 1.59% and 0.1%, respectively, and on the basis of their confirmatory tests, 0.23%, 0.17% and 0%, respectively. There was no significant statistical difference in their infection rate on the basis of sex and marital status. Regular donors (46.85%) had a smaller infection rate compared to others (P<0.005). There was a significant statistical difference in the rate of prevalence of infection for hepatitis B and C in the regular donors compared to first-time donors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the lower prevalence of viral markers in regular donors it is recommended that more use be made of them for blood donation.
authors.affiliation: Qazvin Blood Transfusion Center, Iran Blood Transfusion Organization Research Center, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Hasan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bozorgi
authors.forename: Homa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ramezani
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nooranipour
authors.forename: Mehrnoosh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.forename: Asgar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baghernejad
authors.forename: Azim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mostajeri
authors.forename: Hosein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kargar-Fard
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadri
authors.forename: Seyed Moayed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction