The Trends of Viral Hepatitis B and C and HIV Infections in Donated Bloods in Iran Between 2003 and 2017

Background: The rate of viral infections in donated bloods is one of the main indicators of blood safety which has to be monitored precisely. This paper provides a thorough study of blood safety indicators in the last 15 years in Iran. Methods: The data of the transfusion organization in Iran from years 2003 to 2017 were used. The study focuses on the analysis of the frequency of viral hepatitis B and C (HBV and HCV) as well as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in blood donations. Results: Of 27,442,124 donated bloods, the relative frequencies were 4, 302, and 81 for HIV, HBV and HCV, respectively. This study also shows that the corresponding frequencies were significantly lower in recent years (2.5, 53, and 26 per 100,000 samples in 2017). Conclusion: The presented study indicates an overall low infection rate and provides evidence for the effectiveness of modern safety measures in improving the level of blood safety in Iran.