Background: Cytomegalovirus, otherwise called human herpes virus type 5, is a transfusion transmissible pathogen responsible for significant morbidity and mortality among various groups of individuals with damaged or impaired host immunity. Although it has a worldwide distribution, the infection is thought to be more widespread in developing countries where certain demographic factors and living conditions are thought to be responsible for the observed increased prevalence of this infection.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of living conditions, using certain selected demographic parameters, on CMV seropositivity, among blood donors in Jos.
Patients and methods: A total of 200 prospective blood donors who presented for bleeding were recruited consecutively into the study. Questionnaire was used to obtain the personal, educational, social and demographic data of donors. Screening for CMV antibodies was performed on each serum sample using ELISA kit ("DIALAB", Austria) (www.dialab.at).
Results: The relationship between the extent of crowding and CMV status of donors was statistically significant, p<0.05. Other studied donor demographic parameters (source of drinking water, place of abode and type of toilet facility) did not statistically influence donor CMV status, p>0.05.
Conclusion: Our study showed that overcrowding was the most significant factor that statistically influenced donor CMV status in Jos, Nigeria. There is, therefore, an urgent need for concerted effort to handle the problem of overcrowding in developing countries and Nigeria in particular.