Risk factors for chronic hepatitis B virus infection among blood donors in Bangalore, India

Background: HBV infection is prevalent in India and poses a potential risk of transmission by blood transfusion, but studies of risk factors for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriage among Indian blood donors are lacking. Methods/Materials: Using a case-cohort design, we enrolled 71 cases with repeatedly reactive HBsAg results and a cohort of 212 contemporaneous blood donors with unknown HBsAg status. Questionnaire data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: In our multivariate analysis controlling for age, HBsAg positivity was associated with repeat donor status (OR = 0 center dot 34, 95% CI 0 center dot 17-0 center dot 71 vs first-time donor status), residence outside Bangalore and Hosur (rural areas) (OR = 15 center dot 66, 95% CI 3 center dot 60-68 center dot 07vs Bangalore residence), having been a customer at a local barber shop (OR = 4 center dot 07, 95% CI 2 center dot 06-8 center dot 03), close contact with a person who had jaundice (OR = 13 center dot 64, 95% CI 3 center dot 71-50 center dot 24) and cigarette smoking (OR = 3 center dot 25, 95% CI 1 center dot 39-7 center dot 60). Conclusion: In addition to recognised demographic risk factors, associations with patronage of local barbers and contact with jaundiced individuals suggest behavioural risk factors that could be adopted as exclusionary criteria for blood donation in India.