Epidemiological profile of hepatitis C in blood donors at the Uberaba Regional Blood Center

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to outline the serological profile of hepatitis C among blood donors seen at the uberaba regional Blood Center, hemominas Foundation, over the last 14 years. The frequency of hepatitis C was compared between first-time and repeat donors and the epidemiological characteristics of those with positive and indeterminate ELISA anti-hCV (third and fourth generation) were analyzed based on the donor histories kept in the archives of the uberaba regional Blood Center. The serological ineligibility rate was 0.3%, with higher prevalence in the group of firsttime donors. We did not find any significant differences regarding age, skin color, marital status or place of residence between eligible and ineligible donors; however, the frequency of positive serology was higher among men. The lower (0.3%) rate of ineligibility due to hepatitis C that was observed at the uberaba regional Blood Center, in relation to most Brazilian blood centers, is probably due to the large number of repeat donors (83.3%). This reinforces the importance of achieving donor commitment for increasing transfusion safety. Key-words:Blood donor. Serological screening. hepatitis C. Epidemiology. RESuMOO objetivo deste estudo foi traçar o perfil sorológico para a hepatite C nos doadores de sangue do hemocentro regional de uberaba/Fundação hemominas nos últimos 14 anos, comparando a sua ocorrência em doadores iniciais e de retorno e analisando as características epidemiológicas daqueles com ELISA anti-hCV (terceira e quarta geração) positivo e indeterminado, a partir dos históricos dos doadores nos arquivos do hemocentro regional de uberaba. A inaptidão sorológica encontrada foi de 0,3%, com maior ocorrência no grupo de doadores iniciais. Não encontramos diferenças significativas quanto à idade, cor da pele, estado civil e local de residência entre os aptos e os inaptos, porém a ocorrência de sorologia positiva foi maior nos homens. A menor prevalência de inaptidão para hepatite C (0,3%) no hemocentro regional de uberaba, em relação à maioria dos hemocentros do país, é provavelmente devido ao grande (83,3%) número de doadores de repetição, reforçando assim a importância da fidelização do doador para o aumento da segurança transfusional. The hepatitis C virus (hCV) was identified in 1989 by Choo et al 5 and current estimates indicate that 130 million people worldwide are infected 7 . hCV is transmitted through infected blood and its derivatives, by means of percutaneous exposure (shared use of syringes by drug addicts, tattooing and accidents with biological material), and possibly through domestic or sexual contact with hCV-infected persons. In approximately 30% of hepatitis C cases, no risk factor can be identified 2 . Vertical transmission is rare when compared with hepatitis B; however, pregnant women with a high hCV load or coinfected with hIV are at greater risk of transmitting the disease to their children 14 . According to the World health Organization, shared use of syringes by intravenous drug users is the m...

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