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BIBTEX RIS

Epidemiological profile of hepatitis C in blood donors at the Uberaba Regional Blood Center

2009; Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine; Volume: 42; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1590/s0037-86822009000100001

1678-9849

Fernanda Bernadelli De Vito, Gilberto de Araújo Pereira, Paulo Roberto Juliano Martins, Hélio Moraes‐Souza,

Liver Disease and Transplantation

The aim of the present study was to outline the serological profile of hepatitis C among blood donors seen at the Uberaba Regional Blood Center, Hemominas Foundation, over the last 14 years. The frequency of hepatitis C was compared between first-time and repeat donors and the epidemiological characteristics of those with positive and indeterminate ELISA anti-HCV (third and fourth generation) were analyzed based on the donor histories kept in the archives of the Uberaba Regional Blood Center. The serological ineligibility rate was 0.3%, with higher prevalence in the group of first-time donors. We did not find any significant differences regarding age, skin color, marital status or place of residence between eligible and ineligible donors; however, the frequency of positive serology was higher among men. The lower (0.3%) rate of ineligibility due to hepatitis C that was observed at the Uberaba Regional Blood Center, in relation to most Brazilian blood centers, is probably due to the large number of repeat donors (83.3%). This reinforces the importance of achieving donor commitment for increasing transfusion safety.