Abstract
Malaria is a protozoan parasitic infection of humans resulting from one or more of the five species of the genus Plasmodium and its burden across the world particularly in the tropics is well known. Blood transfusion on the other hand is a necessary intervention in saving lives. However, it can lead to transfusion transmitted infections including malaria if the blood was donated by an infected person. It is therefore important that the blood from donors in malaria prone environment be examined thoroughly for malaria parasites. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of malaria parasites in donor blood. A total of 1,500 samples from donors were examined using microscopy, rapid diagnostic test (RDT), and molecular method for malaria parasites. Malaria parasites were detected in forty-eight (48), 49 and 47 of the blood samples using microscopy, RDT, and molecular method respectively. This gave an average prevalence of 3.2%. All the blood groups examined had some malaria positivity except blood group O and A negative. In all the positive samples, the trophozoites of Plasmodium falciparum were detected. There was no association between blood group type and prevalence of the malaria parasites. There was also no association between age and prevalence of malaria parasite. The results attest to the potential risk of blood transfusion transmitted malaria and thus pose a great risk to blood recipients, especially the malaria vulnerable groups of children and pregnant women. Even though the prevalence in this study was not high enough, together with other results from elsewhere, it can be said that the screening of donated blood or donors for malaria parasites is necessary so that measures will be put in place not to transfuse patients at risk.
Highlights
IntroductionE disease is one of the most important parasitic infections/ diseases in the world and in 2009, there were approximately 225 million cases in the world resulting in 781,000 deaths [2, 3]
Malaria is a disease resulting from an infection of a protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium that has ve main species (Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium knowlesi) [1].e disease is one of the most important parasitic infections/ diseases in the world and in 2009, there were approximately 225 million cases in the world resulting in 781,000 deaths [2, 3]
Written informed consent was sought from the southern area blood centre and the Korle-bu teaching hospital before the commencement of the work. e donors have been screened for viral infections such as human immunode ciency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) as per protocol
Summary
E disease is one of the most important parasitic infections/ diseases in the world and in 2009, there were approximately 225 million cases in the world resulting in 781,000 deaths [2, 3]. Malaria causes anaemia and low birth weight as a consequence of loss of previous immunity and accounts for about 6.5% of abortion, 15% of premature deliveries, and 0.7% of deaths in uterus [4]. E symptoms of malaria in humans are caused by invasion and destruction of the red blood cells by sexual parasites and the immune response of the host. In Ghana, malaria has been a major cause of low productivity and poverty. It accounts for about 32.5 percent of all out-patient department (OPD) attendances and 48.8 percent of under ve years admissions in the country.
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