Prevalence and associated risk factors of transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors at Regional Blood Transfusion Center Nakuru and Tenwek Mission Hospital, Kenya.

Grace Bartonjo,Joseph Oundo,Zipporah Ng’Ang’A

doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.34.31.17885

Abstract

IntroductionUnsafe transfusion practices can put millions of people at risk of Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTIs). In Kenya the current blood transfusion scheme involves screening of blood for HIV, Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis. Malaria is also a blood-borne disease which is not currently screened for. In Kenya blood donor selection criteria were reviewed in 2009. Regular review of effectiveness of donor selection criteria can help reduce TTIs prevalence amongst donors and thus make the blood supply safer.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted between November 2011 to January 2012 among 594 blood donors in the Regional Blood Transfusion Center Nakuru and Tenwek Mission Hospital. Socio-demographic characteristics and associated risk factors were collected using a standard blood transfusion service questionnaire. Donors were obtained through systematic sampling. Each donor sample was screened, for HIV-1 and HIV-2, HBV, HCV, syphilis and malaria parasites.ResultsThe overall prevalence of TTIs was 14.1%, which ranged from 0.7% for malaria to 5.6% for HBsAg. Blood donors who were married (P=0.0057), had non-formal or just primary education (P=0.0262), had multiple sexual partners (P=0.0144) and in informal occupation (P=0.0176) were at higher risk of HIV positivity. History of blood transfusion/blood products (P=0.0055), being married (P=0.0053) were high risk factors associated with positive syphilis. Being male (P=0.0479) was a high risk factor to HBV infection.ConclusionThe prevalence of TTIs indicates a need to review the questionnaire and apply it strictly for donor selection. The 0.7% prevalence of malaria, poses a serious health risk to non-immune recipients of transfusion. Malaria should be included among mandatory TTI tests in Kenya.

Highlights

Timely transfusion saves millions of human lives worldwide each year, unsafe transfusion practices can put millions of people at risk of Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTIs) [1]
A total of 594 participants were enrolled in the study of which 17% (100) were Family Replacement Donors (FRD) from Tenwek Mission Hospital and 83% (494) were Volunteer Non-Remunerated Donors (VNRD) from Regional Blood Transfusion Center (RBTC) Nakuru
The overall ages of the donors ranged from 16-62 years, median age 20.0 years, RBTC donors had a median age of 19 years, while donors from Tenwek mission hospital had a median age of 25.5 years

Summary

Introduction

Timely transfusion saves millions of human lives worldwide each year, unsafe transfusion practices can put millions of people at risk of Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTIs) [1]. Evaluation of data on the TTIs which include among others; HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis and malaria, in blood and blood component donors, permits an assessment of the occurrence of infections in the blood donor population and the safety of the donations [2]. It gives an idea of the epidemiology of these diseases in the community [3]. In Africa 5-10% of HIV transmission is as a result of contaminated blood transfusions [4]. Studies conducted in Benin revealed that there is a presence of plasmodium falciparum in 30.2 and 33.5% of blood donors respectively [7]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion