A survey of blood parasites among blood donors at Eku, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study involved blood film examination of 500 healthy blood donors (308 males and 192 females) between the ages of 15-54 years who attended Baptist Medical Centre Eku, Delta State, between August, 2004 and March 2005, 219 (43.80%) were positive for blood parasites; 26 (5.20%) for Trypanasoma, 152 (30.40%) for Plasmodium and 41 (8.20%) for microfilariae. Male blood donors showed relatively higher prevalence (32.20%) than female donors (11.60%). Although parasite prevalence was highest in the age-group 30-34 years, there was no statistical difference among age groups. All blood group types and parasites, though blood group O had the dominant prevalence (44.92%). In addition, the rural-urban prevalence, skewed toward rural blood donors (29.00%), but this was not statistically significant. With respect to occupation, the farming blood donors had the highest prevalence (57.53%) while student donors had the least (14.72%). The study confirms that blood transfusion will always represent a risk, through small to the recipient. Careful and critical examinations of donors to improve good donor selection and transfusion practice are essential.

Keywords: prevalence, parasites, blood donors, Nigeria

Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 25, 2004: 87-92