Status of blood-borne viral infections in high risk groups of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Transfusion of blood helps innumerable lives worldwide but contaminated blood transfusion remains a major threat for multitransfused individuals as it carry a definite risk of infection with transfusion transmitted viruses. The present study evaluated the prevalence of HIV, HCV and HBV infection by using immune-chromatigraphic test followed by molecular analysis by multiplexPCRfor the detection of nuclic acid and genotypes in high risk groups. High risk groups include multitransfused individuals. Out of 1,468 multitransfused individuals, 664 (45.23%) were found reactive for TTVs. Of these, 101 (6.88%) were positive for HBsAg, 558 (38.01%) were positive for anti-HCV, and only 5 (0.35%) had shown positivity for HBV and HCV while no case was anti-HIV positive. WithPCR,45 (42.45%) were found HBVDNApositive and 249 (44.14%) were HCVRNApositive. Result revealed that high figure of HBsAg was reported in thalassemia patents while anti-HCV in hemophilia patients. Overall TTV infection was highest in hemophilia patients, followed by HD patients and thalassemia patients. Based on statistical analysis, age, duration of disease and duration of blood transfusion were found to be associated withTTVpositivity. The risk of HBsAg infection to a great extent has prevented by immunization but HCV infection becomes an important complication in these vulnerable populations. Unsafe blood donations pose a serious threat to safety of multitransfused individuals. It emphasized the huge need for implementation of a high sensitive and stringent screening algorithm for blood donations.