HIV, HBV, HCV AND SYPHILIS INFECTIONS AMONG BLOOD DONORS IN KOFORIDUA, GHANA

ABSTRACT

Background: HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis infections can be transmitted from person-to person through parenteral administration of blood or blood products. These infections among blood donors are of public health concern because of their prolonged viraemia and carrier of latent state. This study determined the prevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis infections, and associated factors among blood donors in Koforidua. 

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at St Joseph hospital and the Regional Hospital in Koforidua. Blood donors were recruited and interviewed. Socio-demographic and behavioral factors of the blood donors were obtained after which 5ml of blood was drawn from each of them. The blood was tested for HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis infections using rapid test kits. Data was entered and cleaned in epi info version 3.5.3 and exported to Stata 13.0 for analysis. Categorical variables were analyzed and presented as percentages. Univariate analysis was done to determine associations and logistic regressions to identify significant variables.

Results: The study recruited 426 blood donors. Majority, 85.7% (365/426) were males and 59.1% of the total blood donors had secondary education. The study found 4.5% (19/426) prevalence of HIV, 13.2% (56/426) prevalence of HBV, 8.0% (34/426) prevalence of HCV and 15.3% (65/426) prevalence of syphilis among blood donors in Koforidua. Coinfections among blood donors was HIV - HCV 0.4% (2/426), HIV - Syphilis 0.2% (1/426), HBV - Syphilis 1.2% (5/426) and HCV - Syphilis 0.4% (2/426). 36.2% (154/426) were positive for one (1) out of the four (4) infections screened. 2.4% (10/426) of the donors had co-infections of the pathogenic markers. The commonest co-infections was HBV-Syphilis co-infections. 

Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of HIV among blood donors in Koforidua was 4.5%. Hepatitis B and C prevalence were found to be 13.2% and 8.0% respectively among blood donors while syphilis prevalence was 15.3%.

Socio-demographic and behavioral factors found to be significantly associated with HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis infections among blood donors in Koforidua were residence of the donor, religion, educational level, occupation, category of donor, biological sex and alcohol use.

The commonest co-infections among blood donors in Koforidua was found to be HBV- syphilis which had a 1.2% prevalence.

Prevalence of co-infections was found to be 2.4% among blood donors in Koforidua and 36.2% was recorded as the prevalence of either of the single infections