Seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV in blood donors in Irapuato, Mexico

Objective. To investigate the seroprevalence of viral markers for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and the hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses, in blood donors at the General Hospital No. 2 Family Medicine Unit, of the Mexican Social Security Institute in Irapuato, Mexico. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study. Data was recorded on blood bank forms, and risk factors and illnesses were studied in the 7,056 blood donors at the General Hospital No. 2 Family Medicine Unit, of the Mexican Social Security Institute in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico, over a period of two years (from July 1998 to June 2000). A sample of 4,010 donors was obtained,each of whom underwent serological tests for HBV, HCV and HIV, serotypes I and 2, using an enzymatic immunoassay of third generation in serum or human plasma; seroprevalence rate of seropositive donors was calculated and stratified by age and sex. Results. The combined seroprevalence for HBV, HCV and HIV was 2.5% (10 1); HCV was 1.14% (46), HBV, 1.12% (45), and HIV, 0.24% (1 0). In males, HBV was 1.04% (33), HCV 1.07% (34), and HIV, 0.28% (9). In females, HBV was 1.42% (12), HCV was 1.42% (12), and HIV was 0.11% (1). Seropositive males had a 2.4 higher rate as compared to females. Conclusions. The seroprevalence of viral markers was greater than that reported in previous studies carried out in Mexico, which suggests that sexual transmission was the principal mechanism of infection;this reflects poor health education and the need to carefully select potential donors. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.