Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B, Anti-Hepatitis C, Human Immunodeficiency Viruses and Treponema Pallidum among Random Blood Donors at Somali Sudanese Specialized Hospital (SSSH), Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

Background: Blood transfusion is one of essential and important components in Human health care system. Blood transfusion at sometimes poses the risk of transfusion transmitted infections; HBV, HCV, HIV and Syphilis infections. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of HBV, anti-HCV, HIV and syphilis in random blood donors. Materials and methods: The study was descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study conducted at Somali Sudanese Specialized Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia, during the period from December 2022 to March 2023. Blood samples were collected from 420 random blood donors. A total of five ml of whole blood was collected from each participant and divided into EDTA ant coagulated containers for hemoglobin estimation    and     into     sterile plain containers   for   HBV, anti-HCV, HIV and syphilis screening. Estimation of hemoglobin concentration was done by using Hematology analyzer (URIT 5380), where HBV, anti-HCV, HIV, and Syphilis screening was done by using Immunochromatographic test (ICT). Results: The results of this study revealed that the prevalence of HBV and Syphilis in the donors was 2.1% and 0.7% respectively, where the prevalence of HIV and HCV was 0%. The distribution of blood groups was 4.0%, 12.4%, and 26.9%, 0.5%, 51.4% and 4.8% (AB+ve, B+ve, A+ve, A-ve, O+ve, and O-ve) respectively, this showed that the most frequent Blood group was O positive followed by A positive. Conclusion: This study concluded that the prevalence of HBV and syphilis was high in blood donors, where HIV and anti-HCV had low prevalence rate in the study population. Keywords: HBV, HCV, HIV, syphilis, blood bank, blood transfusion, viral screening