[Infection epidemiological data among blood donors in Germany 2003-2004. Report of the Robert Koch Institute in accordance with Article 22 of the Transfusion Act].

The Robert Koch Institute collects and evaluates data on the prevalence and incidence of HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV) and syphilis infections among blood and plasma donors in Germany in accordance with Article 22 of the Transfusion Act. This surveillance permits an assessment of the occurrence of infections in the blood donor population and consequently the safety of the collected donations. This report includes data from all blood donation services in Germany for 2003 and 2004. Altogether 7.09 million and 6.37 million donations or blood samples from prospective donors were screened in 2003 and 2004, respectively. In 2003 the prevalence rates of the relevant infections (per 100,000 donations) were 8.2 for HIV, 99.3 for HCV, 158.9 for HBV and 34.4 for syphilis. In 2003 the rates of seroconversion (per 100,000 donations) were 0.8 for HIV, 1.2 for HCV, 1.0 for HBV and 1.5 for syphilis in 2003. In 2004 the prevalence rates (per 100,000 donations) were 4.8 for HIV, 85.3 for HCV, 156.3 for HBV and 36.8 for syphilis. In 2004 the rates of seroconversion (per 100,000 donations) were 0.9 for HIV, 1.3 for HCV, 0.6 for HBV and 2.0 for syphilis. The analysis showed a very low incidence of infections with a decreasing trend for HCV infections and an increase in HIV and syphilis infections. The latter needs to be monitored carefully and possible causes evaluated. The quality of the reported data has improved compared to previous years. Still, some problems remain with the differentiation of the data according to sex, age and interdonation interval as well as reporting by individual blood donation centres as required by the Transfusion Act.