Blood Safety and Prevalence of Transfusion Transmissible Viral Infections Among Blood Donors in Lagos, Nigeria

摘要

Screening for Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTI) agents is a routine practice globally to guaranty the safety of blood and products supply. The screening records of all blood donors from Febuary 2011 to August 2013 were evaluated with respect to screening outcome for HBsAg, anti-HIV, anti-HCV and VDRL. Rapid test kits were used for all screening. Prevalence rates were calculated for the TTIs per hundred donations. Of the 4,510 donors bled, 9.80% were positive for HBsAg, 1.37% for anti HIV, 0.84% for anti-HCV and 1.10% for VDRL. Sixteen of those rejected had multiple infections. TTIs are still prevalent in the blood donors and the observed multiple co-infection in some of the donor reinforces the common route of transmission of these TTIs. The transfusion transmissible viruses is still very high in Nigeria when compared with other developing countries with very similar challenges. Paid donors continue to form 80% of the blood donor pool. The complications of TTIs are of great importance both financially and in terms of mortality and morbidity because of frequency and severity of viral infections in these blood donors. It is recommended that periodic screening of donors be undertaken to permit early detection and treatment of the viral infection.