MNA � Iran is planning to totally eradicate the risk of spreading Hepatitis B via blood transfusion, said Ali Akbar Pourfathollah, head of the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization.


Vaccinating blood donors against Hepatitis B and promoting individuals born after 1994 � who have received Hapatits B vaccine after birth � are among the main plans of Iran to wipe out the risk of spreading this disease via blood transfusions, he added.

Also, special screening and testing programs are accordingly being implemented for blood donations in 13 provinces which have yielded fruitful results, he highlighted.

With the blood donation rate of 27 per 1,000 people, Iran attained the first place among 21 countries in Eastern Mediterranean region, said Iran�s Blood Transfusion Organization spokesman Bashir Hajibeigi in mid-February. While some 70 countries still collect part of their blood supply from replacement or paid donors, blood donation in Iran is 100 percent voluntary, he highlighted.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the world but other infections, toxic substances such as alcohol, certain drugs, and autoimmune diseases can also cause hepatitis.

According the World Health Organization (WHO) there are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. Hepatitis is a matter of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death it causes and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread. In particular, types B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people and, together, are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer.