| trends in major transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors over 17 years in istanbul, turkey. | infection with hepatitis b virus (hbv), hepatitis c virus (hcv), human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) and syphilis are serious complications of blood transfusion. these infections are routinely screened by blood banks; such tests are obligatory for transfusion safety in turkey. the results of screening 1 737 943 blood donations from blood centres in istanbul between 1 january 1987 and 31 december 2003 for hbv, hcv, hiv and syphilis were analysed retrospectively. hepatitis b surface antigen rates f ... | 2004 | 15587762 |