Silent killers: Transfusion transmissible infections-tti,among asymptomatic population of Pakistan

Objective: to analyse transfusion transmissible infections in asymptomatic population. methods: this study was conducted at the allama iqbal medical college and jinnah hospital,lahore,pakistan,from december 2014 to november 2015,and comprised healthy asymptomatic blood donors.every sample was screened for the presence of antibodies/antigens of hepatitis c virus,human immunodeficiency virus,treponemapallidum,hepatitis b virus and malaria parasite through rapid immunochromatographic technique. results: of the 18,274 blood donors,17,276(94.53%) were found healthy and 998(5.46%) were infected. besides,71(0.38%) had multiple infections. the overall frequency of anti-hepatitis c virus,treponemapallidum (syphilis),hepatitis b surface antigen,malaria parasite and anti-human immunodeficiency virus was 480(2.62%),284(1.55%),210(1.10%),20(0.10%) and 4(0.02%),respectively. conclusion: blood transfusion was found to be a significant but preventable mode of spread of transfusion transmissible infections. © 2017,pakistan medical association. all rights reserved.