Prevalence of Haemoparasites among Blood Donors in Livingspring Hospital, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos

Abstract

Background: Blood is an essential fluid of the body. Safety of blood and blood products is of global concern in transfusion medicine especially as it concerns the transfusion of transmissible infections (TTIs). Objective: This study was aimed to established the prevalence of haemoparasites in voluntary blood donors at Livingspring Hospital, Igbogbo, Lagos State. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach carried out on all voluntary blood donors during lockdown, 2020. Blood samples were collected from 100 donors into EDTA containers with age range 18-50 years. Donors were made up of 75 males and 25 females. Samples were processed using Giemsa techniques and were examined microscopically for haemoparasites. Descriptive and inferential analysis were carried out at <0.05 significance level with 95% confidence interval. Results: The overall prevalence of haemoparasites among donors was established at the rate of 35% (35/100). Of the 100 donors, 35% were positive haemoparasites, of which 33% of the donors were positive for Plasmodium falciparum while 2% were positive for Loa loa. However, findings were statistically not significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is imperative to screen blood samples to ensure safety of complete patient healthcare and service delivery.