An assessment of the potential risks of Transfusion Transmitted Infections in patients transfused in Zimbabwean Hospitals

  • Ruvimbo Rutsate UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE
  • Arthur Mandisodza UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE
  • Vasco Chikwash UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE
  • Jean Emmanuel UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE
  • George Mavunganidze UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE
  • Sisodwa Nkomo
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53555/hsn.v2i10.1148
Keywords: Blood donors,, HBV,, HCV,, HIV, seroprevalence, syphilis,, TTIs.

Abstract

Blood safety remains the main objective for pretransfusion testing procedures. For the safety
of patients, blood is routinely tested for infectious agents in donated blood such as HIV, HBV,
HCV and Syphilis. A retrospective study to determine the seroprevalence and trends of HIV,
HBV, HCV and Syphilis in donated blood was carried out by reviewing records of the
Zimbabwean donors from January 2013 to December 2016.
The prevalence of TTIs declined during this study period. HIV and HBV showed a significant
decrease due to improved donor selection criteria. There was no HCV detection from 2013.
Other studies also showed declining HCV concentrations. Syphilis increased during the same
period.
Despite the noted decline, the risk of TTIs remains high. There is need to reduce this risk in
transfused patients by the introduction of the highly sensitive nucleic acid testing (NAT) test in
Zimbabwe to improve on the detection TTIs in donated blood.

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Author Biographies

Ruvimbo Rutsate, UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

Departments of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Community Medicine,
College of Health Sciences,

Arthur Mandisodza, UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

Departments of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Community Medicine,
College of Health Sciences,

Vasco Chikwash, UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

Departments of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Community Medicine,
College of Health Sciences,

Jean Emmanuel, UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

National Blood Service Zimbabwe

George Mavunganidze, UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

National Blood Service Zimbabwe

Sisodwa Nkomo

National Blood Service Zimbabwe

Published
2017-10-31
How to Cite
Rutsate, R., Mandisodza, A., Chikwash, V., Emmanuel, J., Mavunganidze, G., & Nkomo, S. (2017). An assessment of the potential risks of Transfusion Transmitted Infections in patients transfused in Zimbabwean Hospitals. IJRDO -JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND NURSING, 2(10), 126-136. https://doi.org/10.53555/hsn.v2i10.1148
Issue
Vol. 2 No. 10 (2017): IJRDO - Journal of Health Sciences and Nursing
Section
Articles

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