title: The risk of transfusion-transmitted viral infections at the Gabonese National Blood Transfusion Centre.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood transfusions carry the risk of transmitting blood-borne infections. In contrast to the situation in the developed world, there is a limited number of studies examining this problem in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study we aimed to calculate the risks of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection from units of blood issued by the Gabonese Blood Transfusion Centre between 2009 and 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  All the donations were tested for infectious diseases and the seroconversion incidence rates of HIV, HBV and HCV were calculated. The residual risk of transfusion-associated transmission for each virus was calculated by multiplying the seroconversion rates by the window period expressed in fractions of a year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The risks of becoming infected with HIV, HCV, and HBV in subjects receiving units of blood from the Gabonese Blood Transfusion Centre were 64.7, 207.94 and 534.53 per million donations, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study, which is the first to quantify the true risks of transfusion-transmitted infections in Gabon, reveals and confirms the need to reinforce preventative and screening strategies to improve transfusion safety in sub-Saharan Africa.
authors: National Blood Transfusion Centre (CNTS), Libreville, Gabonese Republic.
authors: Leonard Kounegnigan
authors: LK
authors: Rerambiah
authors: University Hospital Centre of Libreville (CHUL), Libreville, Gabonese Republic.
authors: Laurence Essola
authors: LE
authors: Rerambiah
authors: National Blood Transfusion Centre (CNTS), Libreville, Gabonese Republic.
authors: Calixte
authors: C
authors: Bengone
authors: National Blood Transfusion Centre (CNTS), Libreville, Gabonese Republic Specialised Diagnostics and Research Unit, National Public Health Laboratory (URDS/LNSP), Libreville, Gabonese Republic.
authors: Joel F
authors: JF
authors: Djoba Siawaya
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion; D017848:Blood-Borne Pathogens; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors