Viral Infectivity Markers in Donor Blood: A Retrospective Study of Three Donor Categories

Abstract

A total of 12,540 homologous donors seen between 1993 and 1999 at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (U.M.T.H) blood bank were analysed with respect to the frequency of viral infectivity markers (HBsAg and HIV antibodies) as it relates to donor categories. Fifteen percent and 4.07% of voluntary donors were positive for HBsAg and HIV antibodies respectively. Fifteen percent and 4.11% of family replacement donors were positive for HBsAg and HIV antibodies respectively but did not differ significantly from the frequencies in voluntary donors (P>0.05). Commercial donors had the highest frequencies of 21.3% for HBsAg and 7.01% for HIV antibodies, significantly higher than the corresponding figures of 14.63% (P<0.05) for HBsAg and 4.07% (P<0.05) for HIV antibodies in voluntary donors. In addition, 1.99% of the commercial donors tested positive for both viral infectivity markers. It is concluded that family replacement donors are of comparable safety to the voluntary donors while commercial donors have significantly higher frequencies of viral infectivity markers than voluntary donors and carry higher risk of transfusion transmissible infection

(Nig J Surg Res 2000; 2:75- 80)



KEY WORDS:

Blood donors, HBsAg, HIV Antibodies