Risk factors of HBs Ag positive in blood donors of Hamedan, Iran

Background: Viral hepatitis B is a common community acquired infection. It damages theliver tissue and can be a risk factor for cirrhosis and liver cancer. In the present study, weinvestigated the major risk factors for being HBs Ag positive among blood donors of Hamedan,Iran.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Hamedan city. All of the blood donorsin Blood Transfusion Organization Center of the city were asked to fill out a questionnairebetween September ۲۰۱۱ and February ۲۰۱۲. Logistic regression was used to calculate OddsRatios (OR) for risk factors of being HBs Ag positive using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows,Version ۲۲.۰.Results: Among ۵۷۱ participants ۱۱۹ (۲۰.۸%) were HBs Ag positive. Of all patients, ۱۵۸(۲۷.۶%) were female, ۵۰۶ (۸۸.۶%) were living in urban areas. Also, ۳۷۵ (۶۵.۷%) were married.Among the potential risk factors of HBs Ag positivity studied, “History of Surgery” rankedfirst (OR=۳.۱۱ P=۰.۰۰۳) and “Familial History of Liver Disease” was the second significantrisk factor (OR=۲.۹۰ P=۰.۰۱۳). Human bite, dental filling, and needle stick had odds ratios lessthan one. However, they were not found to be statistically significant (P>۰.۰۵).Conclusion: Of all risk factors investigated in the present study, “History of Surgery”suggests a risk of infection transmission through surgical team. More studies on differentpopulations are needed due to regional characteristics of hepatitis transmission.