title: Prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viral infections in blood donors in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data on blood-borne viral infections in some regions in Saudi Arabia remain scarce. This study investigates the prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viruses among blood donors in Al-Baha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 2,807 donors who donated blood between January 2009 and November 2011 were investigated for blood-borne viral serological markers including HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and anti-HTLVI/III in addition to viral nucleic acid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All donors were males between 16 to 66 years of age (mean: 31.5 ± 9.3 years). Viral nucleic acid and/or serological markers were detected in a total of 36 (1.3%) donors; of them, 26 (72.2%) had nucleic acid concomitant with serological markers, 6 (16.7%) had only viral nucleic acid, while 4 (11.1%) had only serological markers. Of all donors, 22 (0.8%) had HBsAg, 227 (8.0%) had anti-HBc, 157 (5.0%) had anti-HBs, 2,577 (91.8%) had no HBV markers, 2 (0.07%) had anti-HIV, 1 (0.04%) had anti-HCV, and 1 (0.04%) had anti-HTLVI/II. The donors who were born during HBV vaccination era showed no HBsAg (0.0%; p = 0.052), lower rates of anti-HBc (1.5%; p < 0.001) and anti-HBs (0.7%; p < 0.001), while the majority had no HBV markers (98.5%; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined viral nucleic acid and serological testing of donated blood enhances blood safety. The absence of HBV markers among donors suggests susceptibility or declined anti-HBs levels. Thus, HBV revaccination or a vaccine boost among adolescents and adults might be indispensable.
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory and Blood Bank, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. hatim.almutairi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hatem H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: AlMutairi
authors.forename: Mohammad M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: AlAhmari
authors.forename: Badr H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Al-Zahran
authors.forename: Ibrahim S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: Juma An S
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Al Ghamdi
authors.forename: Yahia A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Raja A
authors.forename: Talal A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sallam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral