Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Transfusion-Related Infections Among Blood Donors in Central China During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evaluation of TTIs in Shiyan.

OBJECTIVE

Bloodborne pathogens including hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Treponema pallidum pose a significant menace to transfusion medicine and the public health system. Conducted during the unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic, this retrospective analysis (2020-2024) evaluated blood donors from Shiyan, China, aiming to ensure blood safety amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic.

METHODS

Cases of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) were analyzed by using ELISA. Infection rates were quantified as stratified percentages based on sociodemographic characteristics of the study population. Chi-square trend tests were performed to examine the variation in trends. The chi-square test was performed to evaluate associations between sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, and occupation) and the risk of pathogen infection (HBV, HCV, HIV, and T. pallidum).

RESULTS

Analysis of 231,733 blood samples from 114,593 donors revealed an overall 0.51% seropositivity for TTIs, with prevalence rates of HBV (0.23%), HCV (0.03%), HIV (0.03%), and syphilis (0.22%). During the COVID-19 pandemic, a declining trend was observed for all infections. The chi-square test disclosed that HBV and T. pallidum infection were higher in the other occupation group of women aged 35-60 years, HCV positivity was more pronounced in men in the same group, and HIV infection was mainly concentrated in the group of men aged 25-44 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous monitoring of the prevalence of TTIs among blood donors offers valuable information for ensuring blood safety and new directions in the development of blood transfusion systems.