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Prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections among blood donors in Koforidua, Ghana, 2016
Abstract
Introduction: Transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) are infections of public health concern since they have the potential to be transferred from person to person through blood transfusion. This study determined the prevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis infections and co-infections among blood donors in Koforidua, Ghana.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among blood donors who visited St. Joseph Hospital and Koforidua Regional Hospital between January and May 2016. Participants were interviewed on socio-demographic information and behavioral characteristics after which 5ml of blood was drawn from each of them. The blood was tested for HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis infections using rapid test kits. The prevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis were estimated.
Results: The study recruited 426 blood donors. Their median age was 23 years. Majority, 85.7% (365/426) were males, aged 20-29 years 50.7% (216/426) and 59.1% (252/426) had secondary education. The prevalence of HIV was 4.5%, HBV-13.2%, HCV -8.0% and syphilis -15.3% among blood donors in Koforidua. Coinfections found were HIV - HCV 0.4%, HIV - Syphilis 0.2%, HBV - Syphilis 1.2% and HCV - Syphilis 0.4%. For the blood donors screened, 36.2% (154/426) were positive for one out of the four infections screened. The proportion of co-infection among the blood donors for the pathogenic markers was 2.4% (10/426).
Conclusion: There is a high level of pathogenic infections among blood donors in the study area as well as co-infections. Syphilis, a bacterial infection is the commonest and HBV-syphilis infections were the commonest co-infection.
