Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors in the Hohoe Municipality Hospital, Ghana: 2015-2016: a retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: unsafe blood remains a major threat to the global spread of transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs). Blood is usually tested for four TTIs: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Syphilis before transfusion. This study determined the trends of transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors in the Hohoe Municipal Hospital, Ghana from 2015 to 2016. Methods: a total of 3,173 blood donor records were reviewed for the presence of anti-HIV 1/2 IgG/IgM, HBV, anti-HCV IgG/IgM, and anti-Treponema pallidum IgG/IgM/IgA, using commercial ELISA kits following standard protocols. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata version 14.0 at the level 0.05. Results: seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV and Syphilis were 3.9% 5.0%, 4.2% and 5.2% respectively. Females were 30% less likely to be infected with Syphilis (OR=0.3; 95% CI: (0.15-0.69); p=0.004); donors aged 20-29 years were 60% less likely to be infected with HIV than those less than 20 years (OR=0.6; 95% CI: (0.04-0.99); p=0.049), while those aged 30-39 years were 90% more likely to be infected with Syphilis than those less than 20 years (OR=1.9; 95% CI: (1.23-3.20) p=0.005) and those aged 40-49 years were 2 times more likely to get infected with HBV than those less than 20 years (OR=2.2; 95% CI: (1.17-4.04)); p=0.013). Conclusion: males presented higher prevalence of Syphilis and all TTIs were recorded highest among young adults. It is important to continue screening donated blood with highly sensitive tests and to sensitize young adults, especially females on the importance of blood donation.

Keywords

• blood donors
• ghana
• hohoe municipal hospital
• transfusion-transmissible infections