Distribution of serological screening markers at a large hematology and hemotherapy center in Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To assess the distribution of serological markers in blood donors at the blood banks of the Fundação Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Minas Gerais (Hemominas), Brazil, between January 2006 and December 2012. METHODS: This is a descriptive, retrospective study on blood donors screened using serological tests for markers of transmitted diseases at the state blood-banking network. RESULTS: Approximately 78.9% of the donors were considered eligible for the study after clinical screening. Repeat donors represented 68.2% of the total sample, with males being predominant as blood donors (66.8%). Total serological ineligibility was 3.05%, with total anti-HBc being the most common marker (1.26%), followed by syphilis (0.88%) and human immunodeficiency virus (0.36%). The prevalences of the markers for hepatitis C, Human T-cell lymphotropic virus, Chagas disease and HBs-Ag were 0.15%, 0.09%, 0.13% and 0.18%, respectively. The blood bank of Governador Valadares had the highest percentage of positive anti-HBc donors (2.41%). With regard to human immunodeficiency virus, the blood bank of Além Paraíba had the lowest percentage of positive donors while the blood banks of Juiz de Fora and Betim had the highest percentages. The blood bank in the city of Montes Claros had the highest prevalence of the marker for Chagas disease (0.69%). CONCLUSIONS: Data on the profile of serological ineligibility by the blood banks of the Fundação Hemominas highlights the particularities of each region thereby contributing to measures for health surveillance and helping the blood donation network in its donor selection procedures aimed at improving blood transfusion safety.