title: Prevalence and prevalence trends of transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors at four Chinese regional blood centers between 2000 and 2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In China, high prevalence of HBV and HCV parallels with the growing epidemic of syphilis and HIV in the general population poses a great threat to blood safety. This study investigated the prevalence of serologic markers for transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) among four Chinese blood centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined whole blood donations collected from January 2000 through December 2010 at four Chinese blood centers. Post-donation testing of TTIs (HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis) were conducted using two different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits for each seromarker. The prevalence of serologic markers for TTIs (%) was calculated and additional analysis was conducted to examine donor characteristics associated with positive TTIs serology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 4,366,283 donations, 60% were from first-time donors and 40% were from repeated donors. The overall prevalence of HIV, HBsAg, HCV and syphilis was 0.08%, 0.86%, 0.51% and 0.47%, respectively. The prevalence profile of TTIs varied among different blood centers and appeared at relatively high levels. Overall, the prevalence of HBsAg and HCV demonstrated a decline trend among four blood centers, while the prevalence of HIV and syphilis displayed three different trends: constantly steady, continually increasing and declining among different centers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reflects the risk of TTIs has been greatly reduced in China, but blood transfusion remains an ongoing risk factor for the spread of blood-borne infections, and further work and improvements are needed to strengthen both safety and availability of blood in China.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Hua Cai Road 26 Hao, Dong San Huan Road Er Duan, Chengdu, Sichuang, 610052, China.
authors.forename: Changqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaopu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yudong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Yongshui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Jianmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Yonglin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luan
authors.forename: Changzhou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hongxiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wuping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002681:China; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D055815:Young Adult