Unpaid Blood Donors Research Articles

Anti-HIV-1 antibodies among young, unpaid blood donors from Goma, Northern Kivu, Zaire

The use of volunteer blood donors whose human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status is checked periodically appears to be a more effective strategy for reducing HIV transmission through blood transfusions than the use of occasional paid donors. ADOSAGO an organization of voluntary blood donors was created in Goma Zaire in 1986. ADOSAGO administrators targeted students as an ideal group to cultivate as blood donors and to educate about risk factors linked to HIV infection. Student volunteers received physical and laboratory examinations at 6- month intervals or at the time of each blood donation. At the same time they were counseled about HIV transmission. Between December 1988 and November 1989 341 student blood donors (mean age of 23 years) were screened for HIV infection at the pre-enrollment examination. 3 (0.9%) of these volunteers were seropositive for HIV-1 infection. During the same time period an inadequate supply of blood necessitated the use of donations from 295 occasional donors (mean age of 29 years). Donations were accepted from this group only after a rapid physical and laboratory examination and an assessment of risk factors for HIV infection. 11 (3.7%) of these occasional donors were HIV-1 seropositive. This rate is still lower than that observed among occasional blood donors in other parts of Africa (up to 4%) and the fact that it is significantly higher than that recorded among student volunteer donors may reflect the older mean age of the occasional donors. Nonetheless this study confirm the feasibility of a student-based voluntary blood bank service in areas of high HIV infectivity.

Blood bank screening for HIV infection: epidemiological analyses in a low prevalence area

The results of a cross sectional sample of unpaid voluntary blood donors from 6 out of 8 blood banks in Goiania Brazil in 1989 are reported. The population of 6184 interviewed constitute 50% of all blood donors in the 6 banks during a mean of 106 working days/blood bank. The purpose of the study was to monitor trends in HIV infection. 219 cases of AIDS have been reported up to 1990 in Central Brazil and incidence is estimated as 24.7/1 million inhabitants. This figure is 7 times lower than cases estimated for the State of Sao Paulo. Screening conducted on 58111 blood donations between 1985-87 has produced a seroprevalence rate of .07% for HIV infection. Blood analysis was performed with ELISA (Hoechst). The 1989 results showed a seroprevalence rate of .26% or .20% for 1st time donors and .28% for regular donors. Although regular donors were higher it was not statistically significant. 13% of 1st time donors were women and 3% of regular donors and none tested positive. Male seroprevalence was .27% or .23% for 1st time donors and .29% for regular donors. Between 1985-87 and 1989 there has been a 4-fold increase in HIV prevalence. However the ELISA test has been known to have a low positive predictive value in areas o flow prevalence and confirmation is required.

AIDS in Sicily: prevalence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in low and high risk groups.

A seroepidemiological survey, carried out to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to HIV in patients with ARC and in healthy individuals at risk for AIDS, showed the infection to be widespread in the groups at risk, namely in drug abusers and hemophiliacs. However, remarkable difference existed between the prevalence of antibodies to HIV in drug abusers of the city of Palermo and those of other Sicilian provinces. Spread of the virus among Sicilian thalassemics, however, was very low and quite similar in all geographic areas. Antibodies were found very rarely (0.06%) in unpaid voluntary blood donors. The spread of the virus is still confined in high risk groups, and the major part of the seropositive blood donors were identified a posteriori as drug abusers.