Differential white blood cell counts in apparently healthy Eritrean blood donors at the National Blood Transfusion Center, Asmara, Eritrea

Abstract

INTRODUCTION To our knowledge, no study has been conducted on white blood cell counts in healthy Eritrean blood donors. Therefore, this study will help to establish the reference ranges of white blood cell (WBC) counts in Eritrean people and to correlate them with the participant’s age and gender, and give measures of the differential neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes numbers and concentrations in healthy blood donors attending the national blood bank of Eritrea. METHODS A total of 610 voluntary non-remunerated blood donors between the ages of 16 and 65 years were recruited for the study. Blood samples were collected into an EDTA-tube and examined for total white blood cell (TWBC) count and differential white blood cell counts (neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes, and basophiles). Results were statistically analyzed by the Microsoft Excel program. RESULTS The overall mean TWBC count was 5.774 ± 2.013 (×109/L), the difference between the male and female means was significant, as was also the difference between male and female neutrophil count, with higher values for female donors. CONCLUSIONS The total and differential counts of white blood cells in the Eritrean healthy blood donors were all within global reference ranges, with significant differences in total and neutrophil counts between males and females.