A novel strategy for screening blood donors for syphilis at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana

F Sarkodie; H Ullum; E Owusu-Dabo; S Owusu-Ofori; A Owusu-Ofori; O Hassall

doi:10.1111/tme.12279

A novel strategy for screening blood donors for syphilis at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana

Authors:

Sarkodie, F ;
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unknown
Ullum, H ;
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0000-0001-7306-9058
Department of Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Københavns Universitet
Owusu-Dabo, E ;
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unknown
Owusu-Ofori, S ;
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unknown
Owusu-Ofori, A ;
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unknown
Hassall, O
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unknown

DOI:

10.1111/tme.12279

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To implement and describe a novel syphilis screening strategy for blood donors. BACKGROUND: The seroprevalence of syphilis in blood donors is often high in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) although the proportion of infectious donations is probably low. Syphilis screening may not happen at all; or the use of non-specific screening tests, which have high false positive rates, results in many donations being discarded unnecessarily. This can have a critical effect on already inadequate blood supplies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood donors were screened at the time of donation with an anti-treponemal rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and blood collected irrespective of the result. Units screening negative for syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B and C were released to stock. RDT screen-positive units were re-tested with rapid plasma reagin (RPR) - units testing negative were released to stock and test-positive units discarded. RESULTS: Of the 2213 blood donors, 182 (8·2%; 182/2213) screened positive by RDT. In addition, 38 out of these 182 (20·9%) were RPR positive on post-donation testing. Over 2 months there was a 79% reduction in blood units discarded due to a positive syphilis screen. CONCLUSION: In other LMIC, this novel strategy can contribute to improving blood safety without jeopardising blood supply.

Type:

Journal article

Language:

English

Published in:

Transfusion Medicine, 2016, Vol 26, Issue 1, p. 63-6

Keywords:

Adult; Blood Donors; Donor Selection; Female; Ghana; Hospitals, Teaching; Humans; Male; Syphilis; Journal Article

Main Research Area:

Medical science

Publication Status:

Published

Review type:

Peer Review

Submission year:

2017

Scientific Level:

Scientific

ID:

2291790422

A novel strategy for screening blood donors for syphilis at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana

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