Transfusion-transmitted infections inmulti-transfused patients in Honduras

Monitoring infectivity markers in multi-transfused patients is an important indicator of the efficiency and quality of testing in blood centers. This study is part of a regional initiative to bring both national and regional attention to the problem of hepatitis C, compare the threat of HCV to that of HBV and HIV; assess the risks for viral infection of using different blood products and implementing different transfusion practices, and contribute to a better understanding of the state of blood safety in the region.

A cross sectional study was conducted from September 2002 to August 2003 and included multi-transfused patients from eight private, public and Social Security hospitals from Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, Honduras. A survey was completed for each patient which included demographic and clinical data. Patients were tested for HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HIV and anti-HCV Effects of the exposure to blood products, to whole blood; to lyophilized factor VIII in patients living with hemophilia on the prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV infection were evaluated.

Five hundred and two patients were enrolled in the study; 11% were positive for HBsAg; 27% for anti-HBc; 7% for HCV and 1% for HIV One point six percent of hemophilia patients were positive for HBsAg; 38% were positive for anti-HBc and 26.9% for HCV A dose effect between the exposure to blood products and prevalence of HCV was found (p < 0.05). It was not possible to show a dose effect between the exposure to blood products and prevalence of either HBV or HIV in any of the subpopulations studied.

The transfusion of blood products seems to be the main factor for HCV seropositivity in the subpopulation of patients studied. Additional work is needed to elucidate the risk factors associated with HBV infection in Honduras.