Assessing ABO/Rh Blood Group Frequency and Association with Asymptomatic Malaria among Blood Donors Attending Arba Minch Blood Bank, South Ethiopia

Prevalence and Association of Malaria With the Blood Group on Febrile Patients at Woldia Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia

Background: Malaria is a disease transmitted by vectors and caused by unicellular Plasmodium parasites. Malaria pathogenesis is associated with the ABO phenotype. However, there is little information on the frequency of malaria disease and its relationship with the ABO blood group in the study area. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of malaria infection and its association with the ABO blood group at Woldia Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Method: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 3, 2022, to February 30, 2023. Convenient sampling was used for selecting the study participants. To identify malaria parasites, thick and thin blood films were made. Additionally, blood was drawn to identify the ABO blood group type. Before being analyzed with SPSS software Version 27, the data was coded and entered into EpiData Version 3.1. To ascertain the variable's association, a logistic regression was done. Results: Out of 192 patients that attended Woldia Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, 16 (8.3%) were found to be infected with Plasmodium parasites using microscopy. Among them, 9 (4.7%), 5 (2.6%), and 2 (1.0%) had Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, or mixed infections, respectively. As a result, 30.7%, 25.5%, 24.5%, and 19.3% of the participants had blood types A, B, AB, and O, respectively (AOR = 2.359, 95% CI: 1.03-12.289, p = 0.03). Conclusion and Recommendation: The total number of microscopically confirmed malaria parasites was 8.3%. P. falciparum was dominant over P. vivax. Individuals with blood group O were less likely to get severe malaria than those with other blood groups. Based on the findings of this study, we recommend that additional studies investigate the probable relationship between the ABO blood group phenotype and malaria infection.

Prevalence of ABO and Rh Blood Group Among Volunteer Blood Donors at the Blood and Tissue Bank Service in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background

The discovery of the ABO blood group system and testing of blood donors highly reduced the fatalities associated with blood transfusion reactions and improved the safety of blood transfusion. Blood group antigens are found on the surface of red blood cells that are inherited biological characteristics that do not change throughout life in healthy individuals.

Objective

To determine the prevalence ABO and Rh blood groups Among Volunteer Blood Donors at Ethiopian blood and tissue bank service (EBTBS), Addis Ababa.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out from January 2022 to May 2022, on 1700 volunteer blood donors to assess prevalence of ABO and Rh blood groups among volunteer blood donors at the Ethiopian blood and tissue bank service. All tests were performed using fully automated immunohematology analyzer (Galileo Neo Immucor). Data processing and analysis were undertaken by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. An ethical clearance letter was obtained from Addis Ababa University and informed consent was also obtained from the participants of the study.

Results

A total of 1700 donors were included, of which 57% of donors were males. The majority of the donors belonged to the age group between 18 and 25 years old (53%). The antigen frequencies of ABO and Rh(D) blood group system showed that O was the most prevalent blood group 44.65% followed by A (28.41%), B (21.24%), and AB (5.71%). The Rh-positive donors were more prevalent (94.82%) as oppose to the Rh-negative (5.18%).

Conclusion

The knowledge of the distribution of blood groups is very important for blood banks and transfusion services which play an important role in the patient's health care. The findings of the ABO blood group in this study were comparable to other studies conducted in Ethiopia.

Linkages between blood groups and malaria susceptibility

Blood typing has revolutionized the field of medical science since its discovery about a century ago. Besides its established role in life-saving blood transfusions, researchers have always been curious about the relationship between blood groups and human ailments. The effect of blood groups on disease outcomes, susceptibility, and mortality has been widely explored. According to a particular school of thought, the endemicity of diseases shapes the distribution of blood group frequency in human populations and exert selection pressure favoring one blood type over another. Here we discuss the scope and association of different blood groups in the context of malaria.

Prevalence of Transfusion-Transmitted Infections (HCV, HIV, Syphilis and Malaria) in Blood Donors: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Study

Blood plays a major role in transmitting infectious diseases such as hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), syphilis, malaria, and many others. Thus, this study sought to evaluate the distribution of HCV, HIV, syphilis, and malaria among blood donors in Yemen. This is a cross-sectional study, conducted on blood donors at the national center in Yemen. Blood donors’ specimens were serologically tested for the presence of anti-HCV and anti-HIV antibodies, as well as anti-Treponema pallidum, anti-Plasmodium falciparum, and anti-Plasmodium vivax. A total of 16,367 donors were included in this study. Based on the donor’s occupation, the study showed that the relative seroprevalence of anti-HCV Ab among the donors was statistically significant, and relatively high prevalence was found among military donors (2.8%). Positive HIV antibody tests were only reported in 33 male donors (0.2%), who were mostly manual workers. A remarkably high prevalence of anti-Treponema pallidum was observed among manual workers (3.1%). There was a statistically significant difference in the distribution of anti-malaria Ab based on residency and age groups. This study revealed that the prevalence of HCV, HIV, syphilis, and malaria among donors was 2.0%, 0.2%, 2.4%, and 0.7%, respectively. Further genotyping studies are necessary to provide a complete picture of the prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs).

Association between ABO and RH blood groups and Hepatitis B virus infection among young Nigerian adults

BACKGROUND

Several diseases are reported to be associated with ABO/Rh blood groups. Data on the association between ABO and Rh D blood group antigens in the Nigerian population is sparse. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection as well as its association with ABO and Rh D antigens among young Nigerian adults.

METHODS

Whole blood was collected from 496 students and screened for the presence of HBsAg using an immuno-chromatographic technique. The ABO and Rh D antigen status of participants were also determined using standard techniques.

RESULTS

In this study, the prevalence of HBV infection was 10/496 (2.10%). Of all factors assessed, only age of participants was identified as a risk factor (P < 0.05) for HBV seropositivity. Over half 257/496 (51.5%) of subjects were of the blood group O type, while 18/496 (3.6%) were of the AB blood type which was the least in occurrence. Rh D negative blood group was observed among 24/496 (4.8%) subjects. Those with the B blood type were observed to have an insignificantly (P > 0.05) higher prevalence of HBV infection. However, with respect to Rh D antigen alone, participants negative for the antigen were observed to have a five times higher risk of acquiring HBV infection than those positive for it (OR = 5.273, 95% CI = 1.056, 26.321, P > 0.05). Combining the ABO and Rh blood group systems, an association (OR = 20.174; P > 0.05) was found to exist between B Rh D negative status and HBV infection.

CONCLUSION

Possession of B antigen without Rh D antigen is associated with increased risk of acquiring HBV infection.

Composition of mosquito fauna and insecticide resistance status of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato in Itang special district, Gambella, Southwestern Ethiopia

Background

Anopheles arabiensis, member species of the Anopheles gambiae complex, is the primary vector of malaria and is widely distributed in Ethiopia. Anopheles funestus, Anopheles pharoensis and Anopheles nili are secondary vectors occurring with limited distribution in the country. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are pillars for the interventions against malaria control and elimination efforts in Ethiopia. However, the emergence and widespread of insecticide resistance in An. gambiae sensu lato (s.l.), might compromise the control efforts of the country. The aim of this study was to investigate composition of mosquito fauna and insecticide resistance status of An. gambiae s.l. in Itang special district ( woreda), Gambella, southwestern Ethiopia.

Methods

Adult mosquitoes were sampled from September 2020 to February 2021 using the CDC light trap and pyrethrum spray catch (PSC). CDC light traps were placed in three selected houses for two consecutive days per month to collect mosquitoes indoor and outdoor from 6:00 P.M. to 06:00 A.M. and PSC was used to collect indoor resting mosquitoes from ten selected houses once in a month from October 2020 to February 2021. Moreover, mosquito larvae were also collected from different breeding sites and reared to adults to assess susceptibility status of populations of An. gambiae s.l. in the study area. Susceptibility tests were conducted on two to three days old non blood fed female An. gambiae s.l. using insecticide impregnated papers with deltamethrin (0.05%), alpha-cypermethrin (0.05%), propoxur (0.1%), pirimiphos-methyl (0.25%) and bendiocarb (0.1%) following World Health Organization (WHO) standard susceptibility test procedure. Molecular diagnostics were done for the identification of member species of An. gambiae s.l. and detection of knockdown resistance (kdr) allele using species specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and allele specific PCR.

Results

In total, 468 adult mosquitoes were collected from different houses. Culex mosquitoes were the most dominant (80.4%) followed by Anopheles mosquitoes. Three species of Anopheles (Anopheles coustani, An. pharoensis, and An. gambiae s.l.) were identified, of which An. coustani was the dominant (8.1%) species. Higher number of mosquitoes (231) were collected outdoor by CDC light traps. Out of 468 adult mosquitoes, 294 were blood fed, 46 were half-gravid and gravid whereas the remaining 128 were unfed. WHO bioassay tests revealed that the populations of An. gambiae s.l. in the study area are resistant against alpha-cypermethrin and deltamethrin, but susceptible to bendiocarb, pirimiphos-methyl and propoxur. Of the total 86 An. gambiae s.l. specimens assayed, 79 (92%) successfully amplified and identified as An. arabiensis. West African kdr (L1014F) mutation was detected with high kdr allele frequency ranging from 67 to 88%.

Conclusion

The detection of target site mutation, kdr L1014F allele, coupled with the phenotypic resistance against alpha-cypermethrin and deltamethrin call for continuous resistance monitoring.

Distribution and Frequency of ABO and Rhesus (D) Blood Groups in Somalia: A Retrospective Study on Students of Jazeera University, Mogadishu-Somalia

Background. There are differences in the distribution and frequency of ABO and D blood groups in different populations of the world. Relatively very little information is available about blood group distributions in the Somali population. Objectives: To identify the distribution and frequency of ABO and D blood groups among the Somali people. Methods. A retrospective cross-sectional study of 1811 enrolled students of Jazeera University was conducted in Jazeera University diagnosis and research center, Mogadishu-Somalia from December 2017 to December 2020. The result was presented as the frequency of each blood group with percentage. A Fisher’s exact test was carried out to test the significant association of the ABO blood group with sex and D antigen with sex. Results. Blood group O was the most prevalent (61%), followed by A (27%), B (10%), and AB (2%). The D-antigen was present in 97% of participants and 3% were D-negative. The distribution of O+, A+, B+, AB+ among D-positive subjects were 62%, 27%, 9% and 2.0% while that of O-, A-, B- and AB- among D-negative subjects were 57%, 27%, 12% and 3%, respectively. The frequencies of ABO and D-antigens in both male and female subjects were O > A > B > AB. However, this study found no significant difference of ABO with Sex and D-antigens with sex (P-value>0.05). Conclusions. The frequency of ABO and D blood groups among the Somalia population was found to be O > A > B > AB which was similar to those reported from most East African populations.

Distribution of ABO and Rhesus Blood Group Phenotypes Among Blood Donors at Bahir Dar Blood Bank, Amhara, Northwest Ethiopia: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Among the blood group antigens identified, ABO and Rhesus are the most important in transfusion medicine. ABO blood group antigens are the most immunogenic followed by Rhesus (D antigen). These blood groups’ frequency distribution varies among different regions and races of the world. This study aimed to identifying the frequency distribution of ABO blood group and rhesus factors among blood donors in Ethiopia.

Methods and Materials

Aretrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from September 12/2019 to March 18/2021 at Bahir Dar blood bank service. After getting a permission letter from the blood bank, data were collected from the blood bank donor data registration system, and descriptive statistical results were presented in number (frequency) and percentage. A Chi-square test was used to show the difference in the frequency distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups among sex and blood donation site.

Results

From 40,053 blood donors, 67.7% were males and younger donors (within the age range of 18–24 years) account for 63.7%. All donations were from voluntary non-remunerated blood donors. The most common blood group was blood group O (41.5%) followed by A (29.8), B (23.2%), and AB (5.5%). Considering ABO and Rh blood group altogether blood group O positive with 37.9% was the predominant blood group followed by A positive (27.2%), B positive (21.4%), AB positive (5%), O negative (3.6%), A negative (2.6%), B negative (1.8%), and AB negative (0.4%). The majority of study participants were 91.5% Rh (D) positive.

Conclusion

This study showed that blood group O was the predominant followed by A, B, and AB and most of the blood donors’ blood groups were Rh-positive (91.5%). About 68.9% of the total donations were from the first time donor.

Assessment of recipients' characteristics, transfusion appropriateness, and utilization pattern of blood and blood products in Jimma Medical Center, Jimma, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

As blood transfusion remains life-saving and is being frequently prescribed, a greater number of its practice is unnecessary or inappropriate. This important clinical intervention is reported as one of the five overused medical treatments, with gross over-ordering and whole blood transfusions as the sole component being common in developing countries. Study of recipient's demographics, clinical conditions, appropriate blood utilization, and continuous clinical audits for quality assurance and service improvement plan are important factors to this practice. This study was designed to assess the recipient's characteristics, blood type distributions, appropriateness of blood transfusion, and utilization practice of the big medical center.

METHODS

Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1 to June 30, 2018. Data were collected using a structured data collection format prepared for this study. All transfusion prescriptions were followed from requisition up to completion. Patient's age, sex, requesting departments, hemodynamics, number and component of units requested and issued, and units transfused were collected. Transfusion appropriateness was assessed by a criterion-based method while blood utilization was calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 545 units of blood for 425 patients were cross-matched of the 809 units of total blood prescribed. The mean and median age of transfused individuals was found to be 27.47 ±15.28 years and 26 years respectively, and 65.4% females most in reproductive age groups. O and A Rhesus-positive blood types were the two major blood groups observed. Overall 82.1% of transfusions were appropriate; while only 27.8% of patients received appropriate components as 96.5% of individuals received a whole blood transfusion. Significant blood utilization was recorded with a C/T ratio of 1.05, TP% of 100%, and TI of 1.23.

CONCLUSION

Much of the transfusion recipients were relatively young aged and females, most in the reproductive age group. Although whole blood was used as a sole component, significant blood transfusion utilization and appropriateness were recorded; while appropriate component transfusion was recorded to be significantly low. Local transfusion guidelines and appropriate component preparation and utilization are required to improve the sub-optimal blood component transfusion practice.

Prevalence and association of malaria with ABO blood group and hemoglobin level in individuals visiting Mekaneeyesus Primary Hospital, Estie District, northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal mosquito-borne disease caused by protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium. ABO blood group antigens represent polymorphic traits inherited among individuals and populations. Differences in blood group antigen expression can increase or decrease host susceptibility to many infections. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of malaria and its possible association with ABO blood group and hemoglobin level among individuals attending Mekaneeyesus Primary Hospital, Estie District, northwestern Ethiopia. Sociodemographic variables and relevant data were collected from 390 randomly selected individuals through structured questionnaire. Then, thick and thin smears were prepared from finger pricked blood samples, stained, and examined microscopically for detection and identification of malaria parasites. ABO blood group and hemoglobin levels of the same subjects were also determined. The data generated were analyzed for descriptive and logistic regression models. Variables with p value < 0.05 in multivariable logistic regression were considered explanatory variables. The overall prevalence of malaria was 8.5%; Plasmodium vivax (5.6%) was the most predominant, followed by P. falciparum (2.3%), and mixed infection of the two species (0.5%). In our study, being male (AOR = 3.48), under-five years of age (AOR = 72.84), rural residence (AOR = 2.64), and failing to use bed net (AOR =4.65) were significantly associated with the risk of malaria. Most (14.6%) of malaria-positive cases were among individuals with blood group "A," while the least numbers of cases were among subjects with blood group "O." Individuals with blood group "A" were about four times at risk of malaria as compared to individuals with blood group "O" (AOR= 3.74). The prevalence of anemia was 23.1% and significantly associated with malaria (p<0.05). Prevalence of malaria in this study is still higher compared to some of previous reports from Ethiopia. Thus, there is a need to intensify effort in malaria prevention among potentially at risk segments of population, including males, rural residents, and under-five children, and promotion of ITNs use in the community. Supplementation of iron-rich diet for iron-deficient anemia people is needed. Further in-depth investigation is also necessary to clearly establish the role that ABO blood group plays in malaria.

The epidemiology and detectability of asymptomatic plasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum infections in low, moderate and high transmission settings in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

As countries move to malaria elimination, detecting and targeting asymptomatic malaria infections might be needed. Here, the epidemiology and detectability of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections were investigated in different transmission settings in Ethiopia.

METHOD

A total of 1093 dried blood spot (DBS) samples were collected from afebrile and apparently healthy individuals across ten study sites in Ethiopia from 2016 to 2020. Of these, 862 were from community and 231 from school based cross-sectional surveys. Malaria infection status was determined by microscopy or rapid diagnostics tests (RDT) and 18S rRNA-based nested PCR (nPCR). The annual parasite index (API) was used to classify endemicity as low (API > 0 and < 5), moderate (API ≥ 5 and < 100) and high transmission (API ≥ 100) and detectability of infections was assessed in these settings.

RESULTS

In community surveys, the overall prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium infections by microscopy/RDT, nPCR and all methods combined was 12.2% (105/860), 21.6% (183/846) and 24.1% (208/862), respectively. The proportion of nPCR positive infections that was detectable by microscopy/RDT was 48.7% (73/150) for P. falciparum and 4.6% (2/44) for P. vivax. Compared to low transmission settings, the likelihood of detecting infections by microscopy/RDT was increased in moderate (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.4; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.6-7.2, P = 0.002) and high endemic settings (AOR = 5.1; 95% CI 2.6-9.9, P < 0.001). After adjustment for site and correlation between observations from the same survey, the likelihood of detecting asymptomatic infections by microscopy/RDT (AOR per year increase = 0.95, 95% CI 0.9-1.0, P = 0.013) declined with age.

CONCLUSIONS

Conventional diagnostics missed nearly half of the asymptomatic Plasmodium reservoir detected by nPCR. The detectability of infections was particularly low in older age groups and low transmission settings. These findings highlight the need for sensitive diagnostic tools to detect the entire parasite reservoir and potential infection transmitters.

Association between the dynamics of the COVID-19 epidemic and ABO blood type distribution

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is currently the most critical challenge in public health. An understanding of the factors that affect severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection will help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to investigate the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and blood type distribution. The big data provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Johns Hopkins University were used to assess the dynamics of the COVID-19 epidemic. The infection data in the early phase of the pandemic from six countries in each of six geographic zones divided according to the WHO were used, representing approximately 5.4 billion people around the globe. We calculated the infection growth factor, doubling times of infection and death cases, reproductive number and infection and death cases in relation to the blood type distribution. The growth factor of infection and death cases significantly and positively correlated with the proportion of the population with blood type A and negatively correlated with the proportion of the population with blood type B. Compared with the lower blood type A population (<30%), the higher blood type A population (⩾30%) showed more infection and death cases, higher growth factors and shorter case doubling times for infections and deaths and thus higher epidemic dynamics. Thus, an association exists between SARS-CoV-2 and the ABO blood group distribution, which might be useful for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Vulnerability Association with ABO/Rh Blood Types

Background & Objective:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most recent emerging viral disease. Defining the epidemiological aspects and factors influencing the susceptibility of the patients to COVID-19 has been an ongoing struggle. In the present study, we have investigated the connection between ABO histo-blood group phenotypes and the COVID-19.

Methods:

This study was conducted on 397 patients with confirmed diagnoses of COVID-19 admitted to our center. Also, 500 individuals were selected to form the controls, all of whom had been disclosed to the same medical center in June 2019, before the onset of the outbreak.

Results:

Our results demonstrated ABO histo-blood phenotypes are correlated with patients’ susceptibility to the infection. A higher rate of infection was observed among patients with the AB histo-blood group, while patients with the O histo-blood group have shown a lower rate of infection. The Rh blood group phenotype was not statistically significant in determining a patient’s vulnerability.

Conclusion:

Similar to several previous studies about other viral diseases’ association with ABO histo-blood groups, we have concluded that an individual’s ABO histo-blood group phenotype and his/her susceptibility to COVID-19 are indeed connected. So far, only one research has been conducted about this association. Interestingly, while we observed a decreased vulnerability to the disease among patients with an O histo-blood group, we have reached discordant results regarding the increased susceptibility among individuals with an AB histo-blood group, unlike A histo-blood group in the previous study.

Effect of ABO blood group on asymptomatic, uncomplicated and placental Plasmodium falciparum infection: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Malaria clinical outcomes vary by erythrocyte characteristics, including ABO blood group, but the effect of ABO blood group on asymptomatic, uncomplicated and placental Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) infection remains unclear. We explored effects of ABO blood group on asymptomatic, uncomplicated and placental falciparum infection in the published literature.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Articles in Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane Library published before February 04, 2017 were searched without restriction. Studies were included if they reported P. falciparum infection incidence or prevalence, stratified by ABO blood group.

RESULTS

Of 1923 articles obtained from the five databases (Embase = 728, PubMed = 620, Web of Science = 549, CINAHL = 14, Cochrane Library = 12), 42 met criteria for systematic review and 37 for meta-analysis. Most studies (n = 30) were cross-sectional, seven were prospective cohort, and five were case-control studies. Meta-analysis showed similar odds of uncomplicated P. falciparum infection among individuals with blood group A (summary odds ratio [OR] 0.96, 15 studies), B (OR 0.89, 15 studies), AB (OR 0.85, 10 studies) and non-O (OR 0.95, 17 studies) as compared to those with blood group O. Meta-analysis of four cohort studies also showed similar risk of uncomplicated P. falciparum infection among individuals with blood group non-O and those with blood group O (summary relative risk [RR] 1.03). Meta-analysis of six studies showed similar odds of asymptomatic P. falciparum infection among individuals with blood group A (OR 1.05), B (OR 1.03), AB (OR 1.23), and non-O (OR 1.07) when compared to those with blood group O. However, odds of active placental P. falciparum infection was significantly lower in primiparous women with non-O blood groups (OR 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23 - 0.69, I2 0.0%, three studies), particularly in those with blood group A (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.003 - 0.82, I2 1.4%, four studies) than those with blood group O.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that ABO blood group may not affect susceptibility to asymptomatic and/or uncomplicated P. falciparum infection. However, blood group O primiparous women appear to be more susceptible to active placental P. falciparum infection.

Asymptomatic Plasmodium Parasites among Adults in Eastern Uganda: A Case of Donor Blood Screening at Mbale Regional Blood Bank

Background

There is a paucity of data on asymptomatic carriage of Plasmodium parasite among adult population in Eastern Uganda, an area of perennial high transmission of malaria. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of Plasmodium parasites in donor blood units at Mbale Regional Blood Bank (Mbale RBB), a satellite centre of the Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS).

Method

This was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which 380 screened donor blood units were examined for the presence of Plasmodium parasites. A systematic random sampling technique using the interval of 7 was used in selecting the screened blood units for testing. Two experienced malaria slide microscopists (MC1 and MC2) independently examined each thick and thin blood slide under high power magnification of X400 and then X1000 as stated on the study standard operation procedure (SOP). Each slide was examined for 100 oil immersion fields before the examiner declared them negative for Plasmodium parasites. The results by each microscopist's examination were tallied separately, and finally, the two tallies were compared. The third independent microscopist (MC3) was blinded to the results from MC1 and MC2, but whose role was to perform quality control on the slides randomly sampled and read 38 (10%) of all the slides and was available to examine any slides with inconsistent findings by MC1 or MC2.

Results

All the microscopists were unanimous in all the slide readings. Five of the thick smears (1.3%) confirmed the presence of Plasmodium parasites among donor blood units. Of these, 4/5 were from male donors. Plasmodium falciparum was identified in 4 positive samples, while Plasmodium malariae was identified in one of the donor units.

Conclusion

The 1.3% prevalence of Plasmodium malaria parasites in screened donor blood units represents risk of malaria blood transfusion transmitted infection and a pool of community transmittable malaria infections, respectively.

ABO and Rhesus blood group distribution and frequency among blood donors at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center, Moshi, Tanzania

Objective

This study aims to determine the distribution of blood groups and the demographic background of blood donors in a referral hospital in Northern Tanzania.

Results

The most common blood group was O (52.3%) and the least common was AB (3.18%). 97.7% of the blood donors were Rh positive and the rest were Rh negative. Most donors were young adults, representing the age group of 19–29. The majority of donors were male (88.1%) and the majority (90.8%) were replacement while the remainder was voluntary donors.