Trends in hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus among blood donors over 16 years in Turkey

Background: We document in the present study the trends over the sixteen years in HBV and HCV seroprevalence among blood donors in Turkish populations. Methods: In this study, serologic test results of whole blood (n = 6.240.130) donors at 22 Red Crescent Centers between 1989 and 2004 were evaluated retrospectively. Results and conclusion: The overall prevalence was 4.19% for HBsAg and 0.38% for HCV antibody during the study period. The annual prevalence of HBsAg gradually increased from 4.92% in 1989 to 5.23% in 1991 (p=0.001, t=21.00, CI95, 17237-22490) and gradually decreased from that to 2.10% in 2004 (p=0.001, t=17.27, CI95, 12869-21342). The seroprevalence of HCV antibody gradually increased from 18 per 10.000 in 1996, to 56 per 10.000 in 1998 (p=0.073, t=3.81, CI95, 459.62-5721.23), while that decreased to 34 per 10.000 in 2004 (p=0.021, t=7.49, CI95, 743.98-3980.11). The seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C has decreased markedly between 1989 and 2004 in Turkey. This could be related to the significant increase in the number of volunteer blood donors that increased from 135,779 to 197,815.