Pre-Donation Screening of Volunteer Prisoner Blood Donors for Hepatitis B & C in Prisons of Punjab, Pakistan
BACKGROUND:
Prisoners
as a high risk group are never recommended for blood donations. In Pakistan,
prisoners are legally allowed to donate blood and get thirty days extra
remission. Inspectorate of prisons allowed Alizaib Foundation for blood
donation camps subject to predonation screening of volunteer prisoner blood
donor against infectious diseases. This study was conducted to identify the
potential benefits of pre-donation screening.
METHODS:
This
cross sectional study was conducted in October, 2009 in Punjab. Intending
volunteer prisoner blood donors from January, 2007 to September, 2009 from
prisons of Punjab were included. Physically fit were tested for Hepatitis C
Virus (HCV) and B Virus (HBV) by Rapid test kit before bleeding. Data was
analysed by Epi-Info.
RESULTS:
A total
of 5894 male volunteer prisoner donors were screened and 1038 (17.6%) were
rejected. The mean age was 28 years (range: 17-70 years). Of 5894, 857 (14.5%)
were HCV positive and 222 (3.8%) were HBV positive. HCV & HBV co-infection
was present among 41 (0.7%). Being convicted prisoner blood donor is
significantly associated with higher seroprevalence for HCV (OR 1.35, 95% C.I.
1.17-1.57) and being under trial prisoner is significantly associated with
higher seroprevalence for HBV (OR 1.40, 95% C.I. 1.06-1.85).
CONCLUSION:
Hepatitis
B & C viruses were responsible for almost 18% prisoner blood donor
rejection. Pre-donation screening of blood donors is an effective intervention
to improve the safety and limit the cost of blood. Treatment of identified
cases may contribute to public health. In the international scenario this study
findings necessitate the amendments in the relevant prison rules.
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