Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B, C and HIV in Blood Donors in Northern Pakistan M.F. Khattak,N. Salamat,F.A Bhatti,T.Z. Qureshi ( Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion, Rawaplindi. ) Abstract Objective: To study the seroprevalence and trends of Hepatitis B, C and HIV sero markers in healthy blood donors of Northern Pakistan. Subjects and Methods: Blood donated by healthy donors from both Armed Forces and civilian population, collected from Jan 1996 to Dec 2000 were tested by Enzyme Linked Immunoassay at Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Demographic data of these donors was also studied. Results: Of 103858 blood donors, 3.3% (95% Cl 3.20%-3.41%) were HBsAg, 4.0% (95% Cl 3.91%-4.11%) were anti HCV and 0.007% anti HIV positive. Their average was 28 years. HBsAg positive donors were a decade younger than anti HCV positive donors. Pattern in Armed Forces and civilians donors was similar but there was significant reduction in the prevalence of HBsAg carriage in all blood donors. Conclusion: This study supports the changing trends in HBV/HCV seroprevalence in blood donors and a low prevalenpe of HIV in Pakistani population. (JPMA 52:398; 2002). Introduction Blood donation from voluntary and non-remunerated blood donors and screening for anti HCV antibodies has significantly decreased the number of hepatitis B and C cases and also has reduced the significance of surrogate markers like ALT and Hepatitis B core antibody 1-3 . Because of poor health care system, unsafe blood transfusion practices and existing cultural and religious norms a high prevalence of Hepatitis B and C and a low prevalence of HIV is expected in Pakistan. This study reports a five years seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV in army personnel and civilians who donated blood at the Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT). Material and Methods Donation records and serum of all donors reporting to the Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT), Rawalpindi from January 1996 to December 2000 were analyzed. All donors were interviewed and findings were recorded on a specially designed questionnaire. Type of donor i.e., directed, replacement or volunteer, donor identification, age, medical record, blood group., height, weight, blood pressure, haemoglobin and addresses were recorded. Informed consent was obtained from each donor. Only donors having history of jaundice in preceding year, I/V drug abuse stigma, low weight, fever, low hemoglobin or less than desirable age were excluded. Each donor was asked about the previous donations and card issued at that time was checked as per institutional policy. The standardized donor deferral criterion, which is used to defer volunteer donors, could not be applied completely on these directed/replacement donors. The data presented in the following paragraphs include only donors who have been accepted for donation.