Seroprevalence of Transfusion-Transmissible Infections in Blood Donors: Insights from Public and Private Blood Centers in Jaranwala

The aim of this study is to explore how common transfusion-transmitted illnesses are in Jaranwala, Punjab, Pakistan among the donors. TTIs have proven to be one of the greatest threats to blood transfusion safety, and hence better donor-screening procedures necessitate understanding its prevalence.The present study was a cross-sectional study involving 491 voluntary blood donors from both urban and rural sectors. ICT-based testing for HIV, syphilis, malaria, HBsAg, and anti-HCV was performed for all donors. Confirmatory testing was done by an ELISA-based test.Hepatitis C was the most common cause of infection at 46, followed by syphilis at 5, malaria at 4, and Hepatitis B at 33. No cases of HIV were reported. Hepatitis C was more common among rural donors while Hepatitis B was more common among urban donors. The study points to the need for better screening and selection of donors and recommends additional research in underdeveloped areas.