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. 2018 May 22;18(1):645.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5555-x.

Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections (HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV) among prospective blood donors in a tertiary health care facility in Calabar, Nigeria; an eleven years evaluation

Henshaw Uchechi Okoroiwu  1 , Ifeyinwa Maryann Okafor  2 , Enosakhare Aiyudubie Asemota  2 , Dorathy Chioma Okpokam  2
Affiliations

Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections (HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV) among prospective blood donors in a tertiary health care facility in Calabar, Nigeria; an eleven years evaluation

Henshaw Uchechi Okoroiwu et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Provision of constant and safe blood has been a public health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa with high prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). This study was aimed at determining the trend and seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV across the years within study among prospective blood donors at blood bank in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Nigeria.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of blood donor data from January 2005 to December 2016 was conducted in Blood Bank/Donor Clinic of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria. Sera samples were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1 and 2 and Treponema pallidum using commercially available immunochromatic based kits.

Results: Out of the 24,979 screened prospective donors in the 2005-2016 study period, 3739 (14.96%) were infected with at least one infective agent. The overall prevalence of HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV were 4.1, 3.6, 3.1 and 4.2%, respectively. During the period of study, the percentage of all transfusion-transmissible infections declined significantly with remarkable decline in HIV. The study showed male dominated donor pool (98.7%) with higher prevalence (4.2%) of transfusion-transmissible infections than in female donors (0.0%). Commercial donors constituted majority (62.0%) of the donors and as well had the highest prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections. Majority (62.9%) of the donors were repeat donors.

Conclusion: HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV have remained a big threat to safe blood transfusion in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa at large. Strict adherence to selection criteria and algorithm of donor screening are recommended.

Keywords: Blood donors; Blood donors in Calabar; HBV; HCV; HIV; TTI.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was approved by Health Research Ethical Committee (HREC) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. As only secondary data was used in this study, consent to participate was not required.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interest.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Algorithm for serological screening for blood donors
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Blood donation pattern over the period of 2005–2016 in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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