Hepatitis B and C, HIV, Syphilis Seroprevalences and Asymptomatic Carriage of Hemoparasites Among Blood Donors at the Douala General Hospital in Cameroon, Central Africa

Abstract

Background: Blood transfusion is a life-saving intervention, but that can also promote transmission of various infectious and parasitic diseases. To assure safe blood transfusion, all donor are systematically screened for transfusion-transmissible infections including HIV, hepatitis (B and C) and syphilis. However, less attention is paid for other endemic curable infections caused by hemoparasites such as malaria, and that may represent a threat for the safety of blood transfusion. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of transfusion-transmittable infections and hemoparasites in blood donors at the general hospital of Douala, with more emphasis on Plasmodium the causative agent of malaria.Methodology: Donated blood were first screened for HIV, Hepatitis (B & C) and syphilis infections. After exclusion of HIV, Hepatitis and syphilis infected bloods, the remaining ones were examined for the presence of hemoparasites including Plasmodium and microfilariasis species under light microscopy, after staining thick blood smears with Giemsa solution.Results: A total of 410 people were received at the Douala General Hospital and 37 (9.02%) were excluded based on exclusion criteria. Of the 373 pre-qualified donors, 41 (10.99%) were found infected by at least one viral or syphilis infections, and their blood was disqualified for transfusion. The seroprevalence of HIV, HVB, HVC and syphilis was 3.48%, 4.83%, 1.88% and 1.07% respectively. Only two hemoparasite species namely Loa loa and P. falciparum were found, but the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria (11.78%) was by far higher than that of microfilariasis (0.60%). However, malaria parasitemia was in most of cases low, with estimated densities ranging between 1 and 50 trophozoïtes/µl. Conclusion:We concluded that HIV and HBV are the greatest threats to blood safety in Douala, while underlining the necessity to test potential donors using rapid tests in order to avoid collection, manipulation and destruction of infected blood. The study also revealed moderate but non-negligible prevalence of asymptomatic P. falciparum infection in qualified blood samples, highlighting serious risk of transmission of this hemoparasite to receivers. We therefore re-advocate that all blood samples be additionally screened for malaria before transfusion in Cameroon where malaria is endemic in most parts of the country.