Tamizaje de enfermedades infecciosas en bancos de sangre, Colombia, 1995

Abstract

As infectious diseases are the major cause of morbidity in Colombia, the objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of blood transmitted diseases by screening tests in blood donors. Thus, the data collected from the National Blood-Bank Network as analysed. All records received during 1995 at the National Blood Banks' Coordination Centre from local blood banks al1 over the country were reviewed. Some variables such as: number of blood units obtained, number of blood units analysed and number of blood units reactive to HIV 112, hepatitis B and C viruses, human trophic lymphocyte virus, T pallidumand T cruziwere analysed. Epi lnfo 5.0. was used to analyse the data collected. 370,815 blood units were obtained from 172 blood banks. On average, the percentage of blood units analysed for markers such as HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses and T pallidum was higher than 99%; for other markers such as T cruziand HTLV 112 the percentages were 47% and 15%, respectively. Of the total blood units analysed, 0.3% were reactive to HIV-112, 1.2% to HTLV, 1 .O% to hepatitis C virus, 0.9% to hepatitis B virus, 1.2% to T cruz¡ and 1.4% to T. pallidum. These percentages correspond to national averages from reactive blood units analysed in all banks. Some blood banks reported values for anti-l: cruz; and HBsAg 4 times higher than the national average. The availability of blood units in this country is approximately 11 units per 1,000 inhabitants. 6.08% of screened blood units were reactive to any of the infectious agents described above. Blood screening was shown to be helpful in the prevention of infectious agents' transmission, at least, in the same number of infections per 100 possible transfusions. This analysis showed the need for better donor selection procedures at local blood banks in order to decrease infectious agents'transmission through blood transfusion.