Prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viral infections in blood donors in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Data on blood-borne viral infections in some regions in Saudi Arabia remain scarce. This study investigates the prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viruses among blood donors in Al-Baha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hatem H AlMutairi, Mohammad M AlAhmari, Badr H Al-Zahran, Ibrahim S Abbas, Juma`an S Al Ghamdi, Yahia A Raja`a, Talal A Sallam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2016-06-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/6666
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850148869753536512
author Hatem H AlMutairi
Mohammad M AlAhmari
Badr H Al-Zahran
Ibrahim S Abbas
Juma`an S Al Ghamdi
Yahia A Raja`a
Talal A Sallam
author_facet Hatem H AlMutairi
Mohammad M AlAhmari
Badr H Al-Zahran
Ibrahim S Abbas
Juma`an S Al Ghamdi
Yahia A Raja`a
Talal A Sallam
author_sort Hatem H AlMutairi
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Data on blood-borne viral infections in some regions in Saudi Arabia remain scarce. This study investigates the prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viruses among blood donors in Al-Baha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, 2,807 donors who donated blood between January 2009 and November 2011 were investigated for blood-borne viral serological markers including HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and anti-HTLVI/III in addition to viral nucleic acid. Results: All donors were males between 16 to 66 years of age (mean: 31.5 ± 9.3 years). Viral nucleic acid and/or serological markers were detected in a total of 36 (1.3%) donors; of them, 26 (72.2%) had nucleic acid concomitant with serological markers, 6 (16.7%) had only viral nucleic acid, while 4 (11.1%) had only serological markers. Of all donors, 22 (0.8%) had HBsAg, 227 (8.0%) had anti-HBc, 157 (5.0%) had anti-HBs, 2,577 (91.8%) had no HBV markers, 2 (0.07%) had anti-HIV, 1 (0.04%) had anti-HCV, and 1 (0.04%) had anti-HTLVI/II. The donors who were born during HBV vaccination era showed no HBsAg (0.0%; p = 0.052), lower rates of anti-HBc (1.5%; p < 0.001) and anti-HBs (0.7%; p < 0.001), while the majority had no HBV markers (98.5%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Combined viral nucleic acid and serological testing of donated blood enhances blood safety. The absence of HBV markers among donors suggests susceptibility or declined anti-HBs levels. Thus, HBV revaccination or a vaccine boost among adolescents and adults might be indispensable.
format Article
id doaj-art-6ec0b9f8221c472a8bbadba2f965a065
institution OA Journals
issn 1972-2680
language English
publishDate 2016-06-01
publisher The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
record_format Article
series Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
spelling doaj-art-6ec0b9f8221c472a8bbadba2f965a0652025-08-20T02:27:06ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802016-06-01100610.3855/jidc.6666Prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viral infections in blood donors in Al-Baha, Saudi ArabiaHatem H AlMutairi0Mohammad M AlAhmari1Badr H Al-Zahran2Ibrahim S Abbas3Juma`an S Al Ghamdi4Yahia A Raja`a5Talal A Sallam6Central Laboratory and Blood Bank, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaKhamis Mushait General Hospital, Khamis Mushait, Saudi ArabiaCentral Laboratory and Blood Bank, Al-Baha, Saudi ArabiaHealth Affairs Office, Al-Baha, Saudi ArabiaPrimary Health Care Centre, Bani Farwa, Al-Baha, Saudi ArabiaFaculty of Public Health and Health Informatics, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi ArabiaFaculty of Medicine, Al-Baha University Al-Baha, Saudi ArabiaIntroduction: Data on blood-borne viral infections in some regions in Saudi Arabia remain scarce. This study investigates the prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viruses among blood donors in Al-Baha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, 2,807 donors who donated blood between January 2009 and November 2011 were investigated for blood-borne viral serological markers including HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and anti-HTLVI/III in addition to viral nucleic acid. Results: All donors were males between 16 to 66 years of age (mean: 31.5 ± 9.3 years). Viral nucleic acid and/or serological markers were detected in a total of 36 (1.3%) donors; of them, 26 (72.2%) had nucleic acid concomitant with serological markers, 6 (16.7%) had only viral nucleic acid, while 4 (11.1%) had only serological markers. Of all donors, 22 (0.8%) had HBsAg, 227 (8.0%) had anti-HBc, 157 (5.0%) had anti-HBs, 2,577 (91.8%) had no HBV markers, 2 (0.07%) had anti-HIV, 1 (0.04%) had anti-HCV, and 1 (0.04%) had anti-HTLVI/II. The donors who were born during HBV vaccination era showed no HBsAg (0.0%; p = 0.052), lower rates of anti-HBc (1.5%; p < 0.001) and anti-HBs (0.7%; p < 0.001), while the majority had no HBV markers (98.5%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Combined viral nucleic acid and serological testing of donated blood enhances blood safety. The absence of HBV markers among donors suggests susceptibility or declined anti-HBs levels. Thus, HBV revaccination or a vaccine boost among adolescents and adults might be indispensable. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/6666HBVHCVHIVAl-BahaKSAblood donors
spellingShingle Hatem H AlMutairi
Mohammad M AlAhmari
Badr H Al-Zahran
Ibrahim S Abbas
Juma`an S Al Ghamdi
Yahia A Raja`a
Talal A Sallam
Prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viral infections in blood donors in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
HBV
HCV
HIV
Al-Baha
KSA
blood donors
title Prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viral infections in blood donors in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
title_full Prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viral infections in blood donors in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
title_fullStr Prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viral infections in blood donors in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viral infections in blood donors in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
title_short Prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood-borne viral infections in blood donors in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
title_sort prevalence of serological markers and nucleic acid for blood borne viral infections in blood donors in al baha saudi arabia
topic HBV
HCV
HIV
Al-Baha
KSA
blood donors
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/6666
work_keys_str_mv AT hatemhalmutairi prevalenceofserologicalmarkersandnucleicacidforbloodborneviralinfectionsinblooddonorsinalbahasaudiarabia
AT mohammadmalahmari prevalenceofserologicalmarkersandnucleicacidforbloodborneviralinfectionsinblooddonorsinalbahasaudiarabia
AT badrhalzahran prevalenceofserologicalmarkersandnucleicacidforbloodborneviralinfectionsinblooddonorsinalbahasaudiarabia
AT ibrahimsabbas prevalenceofserologicalmarkersandnucleicacidforbloodborneviralinfectionsinblooddonorsinalbahasaudiarabia
AT jumaansalghamdi prevalenceofserologicalmarkersandnucleicacidforbloodborneviralinfectionsinblooddonorsinalbahasaudiarabia
AT yahiaarajaa prevalenceofserologicalmarkersandnucleicacidforbloodborneviralinfectionsinblooddonorsinalbahasaudiarabia
AT talalasallam prevalenceofserologicalmarkersandnucleicacidforbloodborneviralinfectionsinblooddonorsinalbahasaudiarabia