title: Decrease in hepatitis B prevalence among blood donors in Central-West Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to estimate hepatitis B virus seroprevalence among first-time blood donors in the city of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, in the central-western region of Brazil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A retrospective analysis of first-time voluntary blood donor records, from January 2010 to December 2010, was conducted at the Hematology Center of Mato Grosso do Sul. The prevalence of the HBsAg and anti-HBc serological markers and their respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Chi-square analysis was performed between the seroprevalence previously found in 2001 and the one determined by the current study. Results were considered statistically significant if p < 0.05. Among 8,840 subjects, 269 (3.04%, 95% CI: 2.7-3.4) were positive for HBV markers. The prevalence rate of HBsAg was 0.19% (95% CI: 0.1-0.3) and anti-HBc alone was 2.85% (95% CI: 2.5-3.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no statistically significant difference regarding gender. However, an important association was observed between HBV infection and older age (p < 0.01). The seroprevalence of HBV infection in first-time blood donors diminished from 2001 to 2010 (p < 0.01). Such decrease suggests an improvement in the recruitment of safe donors, the positive impact of vaccination programs and the decreasing of HBV infection prevalence in the general population.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. sonia.fernandes@ufms.br.
authors.forename: Andréa de Siqueira Campos
authors.initials: Ade S
authors.lastname: Lindenberg
authors.forename: Ana Rita Coimbra
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Motta-Castro
authors.forename: Marco Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Puga
authors.forename: Tayana Serpa
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Ortiz Tanaka
authors.forename: Marina Sawada
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Sonia Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Fernandes-Fitts
authors.forename: Rivaldo Venancio
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Cunha