Background: Transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) are threats to blood safety. This study investigated TTIs among volunteer blood donors at the Kisumu Regional Blood Transfusion Centre (KRBTC) in Kenya.
Methods: We performed a retrospective record review of blood donor registers at KRBTC, 2015. Walk-in donors accepted for donation were analyzed to determine prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and syphilis. Descriptive and associative statistics were calculated using Microsoft Excel and Open-Epi software.
Results: The records of a total of 3690 walk-in donors were reviewed, and 2046 were included in the analysis. Mean age was 30 ± 9.6 years, 76% male, 51% married, and 80% were Kisumu residents. Seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis was 2.4%, 3.1%, 2.3%, and 1%, respectively.
Conclusions: HBV was the most common TTI among the volunteers. KRBTC should be proactive and address issues of donor self-exclusion, strict adherence to donor selection criteria, and vaccination.
Keywords: HIV; blood donors; hepatitis B; hepatitis C; syphilis; transfusion transmissible infections.
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