title: Seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among blood donors in Serbia: A multicentre study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have not yet been described in Serbia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of anti-HCV-positive individuals among first-time blood donors and the risk factors for hepatitis C transmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentre case-control study nested within a prospective cohort study was conducted at 10 main transfusion centres in Serbia in 2013 and 27,160 blood donors who gave blood for the first time were included. Blood donors with confirmed anti-HCV positivity and seronegative controls were enrolled to determine the risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 27,160 blood donors 52 were anti-HCV-positive; seroprevalence was 0.19%. By univariate analysis, marital status, educational level, drug use, previous transfusion, tattooing, non-use of condoms and number of sexual partners, were risk factors for hepatitis C. In the final multivariate analysis, three factors remained independently predictive: drug use, tattooing and previous blood transfusion. In total, 87.5% of cases had at least one of the risk factors for HCV transmission; 20.9% presumed that they knew when the infection occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV seroprevalence in Serbia is higher than in developed European countries. Preventive measures need to be directed towards drug use and tattooing facilities. The admission questionnaire for blood donors should be improved.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Disease, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: nikolabmi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitrovic
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Disease, Belgrade, Serbia; University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Delic
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia; Institute of Epidemiology, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Markovic-Denic
authors.affiliation: Blood Transfusion Institute of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jovicic
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Disease, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Popovic
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Disease, Belgrade, Serbia; University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ksenija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bojovic
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Disease, Belgrade, Serbia; University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simonovic Babic
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Disease, Belgrade, Serbia; University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Svirtlih
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055771:Serbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Blood donors; Hepatitis C; Prevalence; Risk factors