Performance des Tests Sérologiques au cours du Dépistage des Infections Sanguines Chez les Donneurs Bénévoles de Sang à Yaoundé, Cameroun: Performance of serological tests during screening for blood infections in blood donors in Yaounde, Cameroon

Abstract

Introduction. Voluntary donation from low-risk groups is associated with a lower seroprevalence of transmissible agents by blood transfusion. The Jamot hospital in Yaounde which benefits from donations of rapid screening tests for blood bags qualification works with associations which promote voluntary blood donation in religious communities. The study described sensitivities and specificities of rapid screening tests used to qualify blood bags compared to Elisa at Jamot hospital in Yaounde. Methods. This was a prospective cross-sectional study carried out from October 2017 to January 2019 in 7 churches in Yaounde. It included candidates for blood donation who had fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Statistical analysis was carried out using Excel, Stata and R software. The statistical significance threshold p was considered if less than or equal to 0.05.  Results. A total of 555 candidates for blood donation were recruited. The average age was 28.9 (18-50) years. Sex ratio was 1.56. RDT sensitivities of HIV, HBsAg, C viral hepatitis and treponema pallidum  were  46.2%(CI 95% 23.21-70.86) ; 66.7% (CI  95% 54.93-76.65) ; 58.8%(CI à 95% 0.36-78.39)  and 19.5% (CI à 95% 10.23-34.01) respectively. RDT specificities of HIV, HBsAg, C viral hepatitis and treponema pallidum  were 98.2%(CI à 95% 97.61-99.49) ; 98.4% (CI à 95% 96.79-99.16) ; 97.6%(CI à 95% 95.91-98.58)  and 99% (CI à 95% 97.74-99.58) respectivement.  There were significant statistical differences between RDT and ELISA/TPHA (p=0.000). Seroprevalences of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis were 1.1%, 8.3%, 1.8%; 1.4% respectively. HBSAg and hepatitis C antibody was the most frequent. Conclusion. The more judicious choice of screening tests and the retention of healthy volunteer blood donors would help to reduce the transmission of infections transmissible by blood transfusion.