ABO and Rh association to transfusion transmitted infections among healthy blood donors in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India

Background: International society of blood transfusion has defined 33 blood group systems and 700 erythrocyte antigens of them some have direct association with infections. Aims & objectives: This study aims at investigating the seroprevalence, correlation between ABO and Rh groups and transfusion transmitted infection namely: HIV, HBV, HCV & syphilis. Methods: The serum samples of the donors were tested for the most common transfusion transmitted infections as mentioned above by Third generation ELISA for HBV and HCV, Fourth generation sandwich HIV -ELISA and RPR tests for syphilis. Blood grouping of the donors was done through standard tube agglutination technique with forward and reverse grouping. The results thus obtained were put for chi square analysis in order to determine statistical significance. Results: Total, 41909 serum samples were tested from January -2013 to March-2015, of which 317 were positive for transfusion transmitted infections. The seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV and syphilis was 0.57%, 0.05%, 0.10% and 0.05% respectively. HCV infection were significantly associated with blood group of donors (P<0.05). Percentage of HCV was found to be higher in donors with blood group A. There was no significant association found between HIV, HBV and syphilis with blood group of donors. Conclusion: Prevalence of transfusion transmitted infections among blood donors of G. G. Hospital is relatively low as compared with different regions of India. From the study it was concluded that blood group type of an individual has got some association with HCV infection. Keywords: ABO Blood groups, Rhesus (Rh) blood group, transfusion transmitted infections