PREVELANCE OF HIV AND SYPHILIS IN VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONORS BELONGING TO DISTRICT FAISALABAD PUNJAB, PAKISTAN IN 2025

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to estimate the prevalence and co-infection of HIV and syphilis among voluntary blood donors Faisalabad and measure the efficacy of current screening procedures. Blood transfusion plays an important role in the contemporary healthcare system particularly in surgical, trauma, obstetric, and hematological procedures. Inadequate regulation, the excessive use of serological testing, and the propensity to continue using replacement donors, however, compromise the safety of transfusions in low- and middle-income countries, such as Pakistan. The absence of central regulatory measures has led to the variability of screening procedures, which poses a greater chance of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) associated with HIV and syphilis. A cross-sectional analytical study was done in three tertiary care hospitals in Faisalabad, selected by theories like 250 voluntary male blood donors aged 20-35 years through systematic sampling had been studied. The ELISA and Rapid plasma reagin (RPR) methods used in the screening of HIV and syphilis were standardized and other information was gathered via administration of structured questionnaires on evaluation of demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral risk factors. The outcomes indicated that syphilis was more prevalent than HIV, and the prevalence of co-infection was rare. Out of 226 tested donors, 44.25% of the donors were positive to at least one TTI, such as 28.76%toward syphilis and 15.48% toward HIV. Marital status, employment, medical history, and knowledge about TTIs were related to infections. The public sector blood banks had less consistent screening practices than those in the private sector. The results emphasise the necessity to introduce NAT screening across the country, standardised NAT practice requirements, and enhanced donor education to elevate the rate of safety in transfusions in Pakistan