Human Parvovirus B19 Infections among Blood Donors in Selected Blood Centers in Ghana

Abstract

Background Blood transfusion is an invaluable human resource and lifesaving therapy in hospital practice for patients, but it is bereft with possible transmission of infection such as Human Parvovirus B19. Human Parvovirus B19 is the only member of the Parvoviridae family known to be pathogenic to humans. Infections of Parvovirus B19 occur all year round and can affect all age groups even though a number of the patients show subclinical manifestations. The aim of this research was to determine the sero-prevalence of Human Parvovirus B19 infections among blood donors at selected blood centers in Ghana.Methods The research was a cross-sectional study carried out among blood donors at the selected blood banks. Blood samples were collected from the participants and screened for both IgG and IgM antibodies to Human Parvovirus B19 using ELISA Kits to establish the sero prevalence of the virus among the blood donors. Risk factors associated with the spread of the infections were also determined.Results A total of 167 participants took part in the study and majority of them were males (93.7%) and about70.7% of them were between the ages of 30 to 39 years. At the end of the sample analysis, 10 (5.9%) of the participants tested positive for IgM antibodies (Reactive), indicating active infections whilst 108 (64.7%) were reactive for IgG antibodies, representing those that have been exposed to the virus before. Though none of the study participants have had any blood transfusion before, about 47.3% had however donated blood before. From the demographics data gathered, the study also showed that none of the participants had multiple sex partners, used drugs, smoked or shared needles but about 22.8% had however received hepatitis B vaccination.Conclusion The outcome of the study showed that more than 50% of participants were reactive to the IgG antibodies indicating previous exposure to the virus and 5.9% were reactive to the IgM antibodies an indicator of current and active infection. These findings indicate that it may be very important to include Parvovirus screening in the procedure for blood donation in order to make blood transfusion therapy a safe process.