Seroprevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) Among Blood Donors in Central Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of Human Immoundeficiency Virus and Hepatitis B Surface Antigen among 104 male blood donors in Benin City between the months of August and December 2002 was studied. Serological screening for Anti-HIV antibodies was done using the Immunocomb ll HIV 1 & 2 Bispot test (Orgenics, Israel), while detection of HBsAg was based on the latex agglutination reaction using the Hepatitis B reagent kit manufactured by Quimica Clinica Aplicada, Spain. Four (3.9%) and 11 (10.6%) of the donors screened were positive for HIV and HBsAg respectively. The need for establishing and funding centrally-controlled and monitored blood banking facilities by government is advocated, while efforts should be made to exclude as donors, touts or commercial blood donors known to have high prevalence rates of blood infections.

Key words: seroprevalence, HIV, HBsAg, blood donors

Journal of Medical Laboratory Science Vol.12(2) 2003: 52 - 55