Association of transfusion transmitted infections with ABO and Rh D blood group system in healthy blood donors: a retrospective analysis

Abstract

Background: Transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs) involves several adverse consequences. Studies have shown that ABO blood groups have some association with various infectious and non-infectious diseases. Few blood groups even can act as a receptor and ligand for infectious agents. The objective of the study was to find out any significant association of TTIs with various ABO and Rh D blood group system.Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from July 2016 to October 2018. Blood donors’ blood was tested for ABO and Rh D grouping and five mandatory TTI markers as per Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Chi-square test was performed to look for any association of TTIs with ABO and Rh D blood group.Results: 10,510 healthy donors were screened for TTI and 199 (1.89%) were positive for various TTIs. Hepatitis B had maximum prevalence (102 cases, 0.97%) followed by Hepatitis C (44 cases, 0.41%) and HIV (37 cases, 0.35%). Maximum TTI seroreactive donors were found among ‘B’ blood group (2.21%, 77 cases) followed group ‘A’ donors (2.16%, 53 cases), ‘O’ donors (1.57%, 60 cases) and ‘AB’ donors (1.17%, 9 cases), respectively. However, the risk of association of TTI was not statistically significant with ABO and Rh D blood group.Conclusions: Although no significant association was observed between ABO and Rh D blood groups with TTIs, Hepatitis B was found to be most common infection in blood donors. This high prevalence points towards critical need of comprehensive public health approach to achieve elimination of TTI.

Seroprevalence of the Serological Markers of Transfusion-Transmissible Infections among Volunteer Blood Donors of Kosti Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital

“…Comparable to Heyredin et al [28], we observed that TTIs were highest in farmers, followed by drivers, and then students and employees. In this study, the frequency of anti-HIV1/2 was higher (4.40%) in the donors of blood group A−ve (p = 0.238), which is analogous to Prakash et al [38]. Interestingly, the highest rate of TTIs and anti-T.pallidum (p = 0.004), in addition to the higher seropositive percentage of more than one marker (p = 0.519), was detected in donors of the AB+ve blood group.…”

“…Regarding the screening, the overall seropositive rate of TTIs was 22.52%, which is higher than previous studies [8,[15][16][17][19][20][21][22][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][35][36][37][38]. It is also higher than studies performed in other states of Sudan [13,34,39], as well as a study [11] conducted in our study area formerly.…”

“…Interestingly, the highest rate of TTIs and anti-T.pallidum (p = 0.004), in addition to the higher seropositive percentage of more than one marker (p = 0.519), was detected in donors of the AB+ve blood group. Similarly, Hroob et al [22] and Prakash et al [38] found that there was a higher rate of syphilis in AB+ve blood groups than donors of other blood groups. In the present study, individuals that carry the B−ve blood group had the highest rate (9.78%) of HBsAg (p = 0.238), and those that had the O−ve blood group showed a peak rate (p = 0.004) of anti-HCV (1.83%).…”

“…Previously, Hroob et al [22] documented different findings regarding HBsAg, anti-HCV, and anti-HIV in male blood donors. Additionally, Prakash et al [38] also showed dissimilar findings concerning the seropositive rate of TTI, HBsAg, and anti-HCV. In line with our result, Mohammed et al [34] reported the lowest rate of TTIs in donors who carry the AB−ve blood group, but, unlike the current result, they found that donors who carry the B−ve blood group had a higher rate of TTIs.…”

“…These findings were higher than those obtained in many previous studies [13,39] in Sudan. Comparatively, several studies from all over the world also reported a low seropositivity rate for anti-HIV1/2 [15][16][17][19][20][21][22]26,29,[31][32][33][35][36][37][38], anti-T.pallidum [8,[15][16][17][19][20][21][22]26,27,[29][30][31][32][33][35][36][37][38], and both HBsAg and anti-HCV [16,17,[19][20][21]24,29,30,32,33,[36][37][38] compared to the current study. In our...…”