BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: West Africa is a highly endemic area for viral infections. The prevalence of five viral markers was determined in Ghanaian blood donors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Replacement and volunteer blood donors were screened using enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), human immunodeficiency virus antibodies (anti-HIV), HIV p24 antigen, human T-cell lymphocytotrophic virus-I and -II antibodies (anti-HTLV-I/II) and hepatitis C virus antibodies (anti-HCV). RESULTS: HBsAg was present at an equally high frequency (15%) in young volunteer (median age 18 years) and older replacement (median age 33 years) blood donors. In contrast, the prevalence of anti-HIV and anti-HCV was significantly higher in replacement blood donors (2.4 and 0.3%, respectively, P < 0.001). HCV RNA was detected in 74 or 55% of seropositive donors, depending on the confirmatory criteria used. No p24 antigen-positive/anti-HIV-negative donations were found. The prevalence of HTLV-I/II was generally low (0.5%). CONCLUSION: All blood donations should be screened for hepatitis B virus (HBV), HIV and HCV markers.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: West Africa is a highly endemic area for viral infections. The prevalence of five viral markers was determined in Ghanaian blood donors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Replacement and volunteer blood donors were screened using enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), human immunodeficiency virus antibodies (anti-HIV), HIV p24 antigen, human T-cell lymphocytotrophic virus-I and -II antibodies (anti-HTLV-I/II) and hepatitis C virus antibodies (anti-HCV). RESULTS: HBsAg was present at an equally high frequency (15%) in young volunteer (median age 18 years) and older replacement (median age 33 years) blood donors. In contrast, the prevalence of anti-HIV and anti-HCV was significantly higher in replacement blood donors (2.4 and 0.3%, respectively, P < 0.001). HCV RNA was detected in 74 or 55% of seropositive donors, depending on the confirmatory criteria used. No p24 antigen-positive/anti-HIV-negative donations were found. The prevalence of HTLV-I/II was generally low (0.5%). CONCLUSION: All blood donations should be screened for hepatitis B virus (HBV), HIV and HCV markers.
Authors: P Martín-Dávila; J Fortún; R López-Vélez; F Norman; M Montes de Oca; P Zamarrón; M I González; A Moreno; T Pumarola; G Garrido; A Candela; S Moreno Journal: Clin Microbiol Rev Date: 2008-01 Impact factor: 26.132
Authors: John P Pitman; Adele Bocking; Robert Wilkinson; Maarten J Postma; Sridhar V Basavaraju; Bjorn von Finckenstein; Mary Mataranyika; Anthony A Marfin; David W Lowrance; Cees Th Smit Sibinga Journal: Blood Transfus Date: 2014-10-23 Impact factor: 3.443
Authors: David K Dosoo; Kwaku P Asante; Kingsley Kayan; Dennis Adu-Gyasi; Kingsley Osei-Kwakye; Emmanuel Mahama; Samuel Danso; Stephen Amenga-Etego; Philip Bilson; Kwadwo A Koram; Seth Owusu-Agyei Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2014-03-03 Impact factor: 2.345