Prevalence of Chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C among First Time Blood Donors in Northeast Bosnia and Herzegovina: An Estimate of Prevalence in General Population

authors:

avatar Jasminka Petrovic 1 , avatar Nermin N. Salkic 2 , * , avatar Sead Ahmetagic 1 , avatar Vildana Stojic 1 , avatar Slavica Mott-Divkovic 1

Department of Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Clinical Center Tuzla, snermin@gmail.com, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Hepatitis Monthly: Vol.11, issue 8; 629-633
article type: Research Article
received: April 24, 2011
accepted: June 24, 2011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5812/kowsar.1735143X.716

how to cite: Petrovic J, Salkic N N, Ahmetagic S, Stojic V, Mott-Divkovic S. Prevalence of Chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C among First Time Blood Donors in Northeast Bosnia and Herzegovina: An Estimate of Prevalence in General Population. Hepat Mon. 2011;11(8): 629-633. https://doi.org/10.5812/kowsar.1735143X.716.

Abstract

Background: Data on the epidemiology of hepatitis B and C in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) are lacking.
Objectives: To assess the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in blood samples of first time blood donors in a well-defined region of B&H. Our secondary goal was to estimate the prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HCV in the general population of the same region.
Patients and Methods: We evaluated 8196 blood samples for the presence of HBsAg and/or anti-HCV, adjusted for differences in gender, and used the ratio estimation method to determine the prevalence in the general population.
Results: We analyzed 1263 (15.4%) female and 6933 (84.6%) male blood donors (male-to-female ratio: 5.49 to 1). The adjusted prevalence of HBsAg among blood donors was 0.787% (95% CI = 0.535-1.038), while the prevalence of anti-HCV was 0.267% (95% CI = 0.016-0.519). There was no difference in the prevalence of HBsAg or anti-HCV between men and women. We estimate that the prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HCV in the general population is 1.057% to 1.535% and 0.29% to 0.89%, respectively.
Conclusions: The prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HCV among blood donors suggests that our region has low endemicity for both hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
Keywords: Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C virus; Epidemiology; Blood donors; Population; Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:
    Up to date there is no accurate data on prevalence of chronic hepatitis B and C among blood donors in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, estimates of prevalence of general population suggest that prior assessments were inaccurate.
    Please cite this paper as:
    Petrovic J, Salkic NN, Ahmetagic S, Stojic V, Mott-Divkovic S. Prevalence of Chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C among First Time Blood Donors in Northeast Bosnia and Herzegovina: An Estimate of Prevalence in General Population. Hepat Mon. 2011;11(8):629-33. [DOI: 10.5812/kowsar.1735143X.716]

Copyright © 2011 Kowsar M.P.Co. All rights reserved.

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