Seroprevalence and risk factors for HIV, HCV, HBV and syphilis among blood donors in Mali

Abstract

BackgroundHIV, HBV and HCV remain a global public health concern especially in Africa. Prevalence of these infections is changing and identification of risk factors associated with each infection in Mali is needed to improve medical care.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study of all individuals donating blood (n = 8207) in 2018 to the blood bank at university hospital in Bamako, Mali, to assess prevalence and risks factors associated with HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis infections.ResultsHIV-seroprevalence was 2.16% and significantly increased with age, being married and decreasing education level. In multivariate analysis, after adjustements with age, marital status and geographical setting, only education level was associated with HIV-infection (OR, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.15–2.07], p = 0.016). HBsAg prevalence was 14.78% and significantly increased with to be male gender. In multivariate analysis, adjusting for age, marital status and type of blood donation, education level (OR, 1.17 [95%CI, 1.05–1.31], p = 0.02) and male gender (OR, 1.37 [95%CI, 1.14–1.65], p = 0.005) were associated with HBV-infection. HCV-prevalence was 2.32% and significantly increased with living outside Bamako. In multivariate analysis, adjusting for gender, age and education level, living outside Bamako was associated with HCV-infection (OR, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.41–2.35], p < 0.001). Syphilis seroprevalence was very low (0.04%) with only 3 individuals infected. Contrary to a prior study, blood donation type was not, after adjustments, an independent risk factor for each infection.ConclusionsOverall, HIV and HBV infection was higher in individuals with a lower level of education, HBV infection was higher in men, and HCV infection was higher in people living outside of Bamako. Compared to studies performed in 1999, 2002 and 2007 in the same population, we found that HIV and HCV prevalence have decreased in the last two decades whereas HBV prevalence has remained stable. Our finding will help guide infection prevention and treatment programs in Mali.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Type 1 in Donors of the National Blood Transfusion Center of Libreville (Gabon)

“…However, it turns out that a weak acquisition of knowledge about HIV infection would encourage an increase in risky behavior among this category of people. This has been reported in some studies conducted in some countries such as Mali, Kenya, and Ethiopia where low education level was significant associated with HIV infection [16,25,26]. Donation status was one of the risk factors in our study.…”

“…These behaviors would promote co-infections in this category of people. This statement has been confirmed in some studies carried out in different countries namely Burkina Faso (0.06%) and Mali (0.09%) that coinfections were frequent among new donors [16,28].…”

“…This could be accounted for by the ignorance of their serological status which would increase the seropositivity of this category of donors but this is not the case in a repeat donor who regularly donates blood and on the other hand, is informed of his serological status. In some studies conducted in Brazil, Kenya, and Malawi, new donors are significant associated with HIV infection [16,25,27]. Among seropositive donors, the study observed five (5) cases of coinfections only in new donors and with an overall prevalence of 0.14%.…”

“…This explanation could be due to the sexual practice for money which would lead them to adopt risky sexual behaviors (multiplicity of sexual partners). Some studies in Ethiopia and Mali showed that women were 1.6 times more at risk (OR = 1.6) than men and the 25-34 age group was also at risk compared to other age groups [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. And concerning the profession of the donor, it emerged that students/pupils and the unemployed had high seropositivity (0.8% and 1.0% respectively).…”

Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Among Blood Donors in Nekemte Blood Bank, Western Oromia, Ethiopia: Retrospective 5 Years Study

“…1 Besides, the current study was also lower than studies from another African country which were 4.1% in Nigeria, 21 9.7% in Sierra Leone, 22 14.75% in Mali, 23 and 14.3% in Ghana. 24 This is probably because of the differences in the geographical distribution of the infection in the society, population differences regarding social behavior, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and level of awareness in different regions of the country. Moreover, differences in specificity and sensitivity of screening tests used at different sites during the time of screening might be the cause of variations.…”