Seroprevalence of Viral Hepatitis B and C among Blood Donors at the Agadir Regional Transfusion Center

Introduction: The prevention of transmission of infections transmitted by blood transfusion depends on the correct selection of donors and the performance of adequate serological tests for the detection of pathogens, in particular viral hepatitis B and C viruses. The main objective of our study was to evaluate the seroprevalences of viral markers B and C in blood donors in the Agadir region. The secondary objectives were to evaluate these prevalences according to the socio-demographic characteristics of the donors and to evaluate the seroprevalence of other markers, in particular the human immunodeficiency virus. Methods: A retrospective analysis of files from the blood donor registers of the Agadir regional transfusion center, covering the period from 1 January to 31 December 2020, was conducted. Results: The study included 13,092 donors, the mean age was 34 ± 11, the M/F sex ratio was 2.6. The overall seroprevalences of HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV were respectively: 1.3%, 0.2% and 0.3% respectively. For HBsAg, the prevalence was higher in men (p = 0.007). The prevalence of anti-HCV was higher in rural areas than in urban areas (p < 0.001), and differed between the different provinces of the region (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The low prevalences of viral markers B and C in our study compared to those recorded in the general Moroccan population reflect the effectiveness of preventive measures with regard to donor selection.