Analysis of four blood-borne pathogens in ophthalmic patients from 2017 to 2023

[Objective:] To understand the infection status of four blood-borne pathogens among ophthalmology patients in South China and the distribution of positive patients across different eye diseases. [Methods:] A retrospective analysis of data from outpatient and inpatient or surgical ophthalmic patients who underwent screening for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV), treponema pallidum antibody (anti-TP) and human immunodeficiency virus antibody (anti-HIV) at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2017 to December 2023. The positivity rates of these markers were recorded and analyzed. [Results:] A total of 253246 patients were included in the study, with positivity rates for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-TP, and anti-HIV at 9.00%, 0.45%, 1.55% and 0.13%, respectively. Among these, 686 patients tested positive for two or more markers, with the highest co-positivity observed for HBsAg and anti-HCV (57.29%), followed by anti-HIV and anti-TP (15.74%). The positivity rate of HBsAg showed a yearly decline, while the rates for anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and anti-TP remained relatively stable from 2017 to 2023. Males had significantly higher positivity rates for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-TP, and anti-HIV compared to females (P < 0.001). Significant differences in positivity rates for these markers were also observed across different age groups (P < 0.001). In patients with positive HBsAg, anti-HCV, and anti-TP, the proportion of cases with lens diseases were the highest, at 36.72%, 39.12%, and 46.97%, respectively. Vitreoretinal diseases followed, with proportions of 22.52%, 19.65%, and 19.69%, respectively. Among patients with positive anti-HIV, the proportion of cases with vitreoretinal diseases was the highest, at 42.99%, followed by lens diseases at 26.17%, and uveitis at 8.72%. [Conclusions:] This study reveals the infection status of four blood-borne pathogens in ophthalmology patients and the distribution of infected patients across different eye diseases, which is significant for assessing the risks of ophthalmic surgery and formulating infection control measures.