Prevalence of Transfusion Transmissible Infection among Healthy Blood Donors at Dongola Specialized Hospital, Sudan, 2010–2015

Abstract

Background: Blood transfusion saves lives but carries the risk of transmission of infections. Screening donors for transfusion transmissible infection (TTI) is mandatory. Objectives: To study the prevalence of TTI among blood donors at Dongola Specialized hospital, Northern State, Sudan. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study performed on blood donors at the blood bank of Dongola Specialized Hospital during the period 2010–2015. Demographic data and results of screening tests for all donors in the study period were included. Data were analyzed using SPSS and results were presented in percentages. Results: The total number of donors were 6,489, of which 6,433 (99.1%) were included in the study. All donors were males and family donors. Mean age (SD) was 27.9 (6.516) years. hepatitis B virus was detected in 85 (1.3%), syphilis in 68 (1.1%), hepatitis virus in 45 (0.7%), and human immunodeficiency virus in 3 (0.05%) donors. Coinfections of hepatitis B with syphilis and hepatitis B with hepatitis C were found in 0.05% and 0.03% of the donors, respectively.  Conclusion: The prevalence of TTI is low compared to national and international figures. These findings may reflect low prevalence rates of the studied infections in the community. Key words: blood donors, Northern State, Sudan, transfusion transmissible infection