Frequency of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Pakistani Blood Donors

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of HIV and syphilis infection among Pakistani blood donors presenting to blood transfusion services of Shifa International Hospital (SIH) Islamabad through serological testing and to determine accuracy of serological testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) taking nucleic acid testing (NAT) as gold standard.

Methodology: Present study was a descriptive cross-sectional, conducted at SIH Islamabad over a period of six months (July- December 2016). A total of five thousand one hundred and seven (n=5,107) adult blood donors were enrolled and underwent serological testing for syphilis. For HIV, serology was performed followed by NAT screening.

Results: There were 1.3% (n=68/5107) donors came out to be serologically positive for syphilis with a yield of 1:75 or 14686 donors per million. There were 0.2% (n=12/5107) donors came out to be serologically HIV positive with a yield of 1:426 or n=2350 donors per million. All HIV patients on NAT testing proved to be negative for HIV. 

Conclusions: A remarkable proportion of blood donors presented at our institute during the study period harbored STD, which can be detected through meticulous and stringent screening of blood donors. NAT has an incremental value in identifying false positive HIV cases on serological testing.