title: Seroprevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, and Treponema pallidum Infections among Blood Donors on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regular screening of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus (HBV and HCV, respectively), and Treponema pallidum, in blood donors is essential to guaranteeing clinical transfusion safety. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of four TTIs among blood donors on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea (EG).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective survey of blood donors from January 2011 to April 2013 was conducted to assess the presence of HIV, HBV, HCV and T. pallidum. The medical records were analyzed to verify the seroprevalence of these TTIs among blood donations stratified by gender, age and geographical region.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total 2937 consecutive blood donors, 1098 (37.39%) had a minimum of one TTI and 185 (6.29%) harbored co-infections. The general seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV and T. pallidum were 7.83%, 10.01%, 3.71% and 21.51%, respectively. The most frequent TTI co-infections were HBV-T. pallidum 60 (2.04%) and HIV-T. pallidum 46 (1.57%). The seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV and T. pallidum were highest among blood donors 38 to 47 years, 18 to 27 years and ≥ 48 years age, respectively (P<0.05). The seroprevalence of TTIs varied according to the population from which the blood was collected on Bioko Island.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results firstly provide a comprehensive overview of TTIs among blood donors on Bioko Island. Strict screening of blood donors and improved hematological examinations using standard operating procedures are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Medical Center, The People's Hospital of Jiangmen, Jiangmen; The Chinese Medical Aid Team to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dong-De
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Renmin Hospital; Department of Parasitology, College of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Medical Center, The People's Hospital of Jiangmen, Jiangmen; The Chinese Medical Aid Team to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China; Laboratory Medical Center, Huizhou Municipal Central Hospital, Guangdong, Huizhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiang-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Central Blood Transfusion Service; Medical Laboratory, Malabo Regional Hospital, Malabo, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
authors.forename: Urbano Monsuy
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Eyi
authors.affiliation: Central Blood Transfusion Service; Medical Laboratory, Malabo Regional Hospital, Malabo, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
authors.forename: Rocio Apicante
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Matesa
authors.affiliation: Central Blood Transfusion Service; Medical Laboratory, Malabo Regional Hospital, Malabo, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
authors.forename: Maximo Miko Ondo
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Obono
authors.affiliation: Central Blood Transfusion Service; Medical Laboratory, Malabo Regional Hospital, Malabo, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
authors.forename: Carlos Sala
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ehapo
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, Chaozhou Central Hospital, Southern Medical University, Chaozhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li-Ye
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, Chaozhou Central Hospital, Southern Medical University, Chaozhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, Chaozhou Central Hospital, Southern Medical University, Chaozhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui-Tian
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, Chaozhou Central Hospital, Southern Medical University, Chaozhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D016703:Equatorial Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014210:Treponema pallidum; D055815:Young Adult