Background Adequate provision of safe blood through voluntary non-remunerated donation (VNRD) is critical to the delivery of quality health care. Understanding the factors affecting blood donation and addressing them would lead to an improvement in blood donation in Africa. The objective of this study was to determine factors affecting VNRD among culturally diverse Nigerian students.Methods In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 840 students were selected by a stratified random sampling technique and given a pretested semi-structured self-administered questionnaire which included questions on knowledge, attitude, and perception of respondents towards voluntary blood donation. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23. ResultsThe mean age of the respondents was 18Á6 years (SD 1Á8). The male-tofemale ratio was 1:1Á5. More than half (54Á5%) of the respondents had good knowledge about blood donation with those of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS) contributing the most to the knowledge base [p < 0Á001, OR-2Á0, CI 95 = 1Á3, 3.0]. About 62% showed a willingness to donate blood, and the highest proportion were from the CMHS [v2 = 29Á62, p < 0Á001]. Of those that had donated at least once in the past, males are more likely to donate than females [37 (60Á7%) vs. 27 (39Á3%)] (p = 0Á001, OR 2Á5 CI 95 = 1Á5-4Á3).Conclusions Our study demonstrated that the knowledge about blood donation is inadequate among the population studied although most of them were willing to donate blood. Efforts to increase the pool of VNRD should focus on young people and especially females. We recommend that student's societies be engaged with activities aimed to improve their knowledge of blood donation and demystify erroneous beliefs hindering blood donation. These engagements may take place at orientation programmes for fresh students, exhibitions at student unions events, and during the commemoration of the World Blood Donor Day.
Background: Syphilis is a highly contagious, systemic bacterial illness that poses a serious public health threat on a worldwide scale. In addition to being spread sexually, the illness can also be contracted through blood donation. To accurately evaluate the epidemiological pattern and community impact of the disease, this research sought to ascertain the seroprevalence of syphilis among pregnant women and potential blood donors. In Ekiti State, southwest Nigeria, a comparative study was conducted to determine the frequency of syphilis among expectant mothers and potential blood donors. Materials and Methods: For this comparison research, which was conducted over a 12-month span, 370 potential blood donors and 300 antenatal enrolees were both selected. After getting each participant's full permission, a questionnaire comprising socio-demographic data was given, and 5 ml of whole blood was drawn by venepuncture into an EDTA bottle. Within seconds, plasma was extracted into a clear receptacle using spinning at 2500g for 5 minutes. ELISA-based fast test tools from Diaspot and Lab Acon were used to find Treponema pallidum. Each sample's reactivity to the two test instruments was read as a positive result, while each sample's lack of reactivity was interpreted as a negative result. Results: Syphilis seroprevalence among expectant mothers was 2.0% and 0% among female blood donors. Male blood donors had a syphilis seroprevalence of 2.1%, which was comparable to the seroprevalence of 2.0% observed in expectant women. Conclusion: The screening of potential blood donors and pregnant women for syphilis must be required, available, and cheap as this will improve early detection of the disease for proper therapy. There is a significant correlation between syphilis infection and pregnancy and blood donors.
Anti‐HBc screening and nucleic acid testing for hepatitis B viral DNA (HBV DNA) detection in blood donors are not routinely performed in clinical settings in Nigeria. This raises serious concerns for safety of blood at a time that global health standards advocate for transfusion safety. The aim of this research is to investigate if presence of anti‐HBc in blood donors is actually associated with occult hepatitis B infection through basic and advanced procedures. Prospective blood donors who were seronegative for HBsAg but sero‐positive for anti‐HBc (with or without other markers) among the four hundred and seventy enrolled in a cross‐sectional study were selected for this study. Samples were further screened for hepatitis B core immunoglobulin M by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Nucleic acid testing was performed for confirmation of occult hepatitis B infection. Anti‐HBc was detected in 20 (32.8%) of the sixty‐one HBsAg antigen‐negative blood donors which constituted 13.0% of the total number of enrolled blood donors. Anti‐HBc total‐positive differentiation showed eighteen (90.0%) anti‐HBc (IgG) and two (10%) anti‐HBc (IgM) were detected. Nucleic acid testing showed 5.0% prevalence of occult hepatitis B infection among the anti‐HBc‐positive blood donors with estimated HBV DNA viral load of 58 IU/ml. Demonstration of 5.0% occult hepatitis B prevalence showed the possibility of post‐transfusion hepatitis B infection in transfusion recipients with consequent possible liver damage should hepatitis B surface antigen alone be the continued practice in clinical settings. The inclusion of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen screening in addition to hepatitis B surface antigen marker is an essential step to ensuring optimal blood safety and prevent post‐transfusion hepatitis.
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