Seroprevalence of HTLV -I/II amongst Blood Donors in Osogbo, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: HTLV type I/II is a blood borne infection that can be transmitted via blood transfusion.
Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of human T – lymphotropic virus among blood donors in Osogbo, Nigeria.
Methods: Diagnosis of Human T. Lymphotropic virus antigen was carried out on 372 serum samples among blood donors who visited the blood bank/transfusion unit of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology  Teaching Hospital and Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Hospital, Osogbo between January and July 2008 using Enzyme linked immunosorbent  assay techniques (ELISA) as described by the manufacturer. Western  blotting was used to confirm the serum reactive samples from ELISA.
Results: Out of 372 samples analyzed, 14 (3.6%) samples were found to be positive for HTLV-I/II (7 HTLV-I and 7 HTLV-II) while 358 (96.4%) samples were negative after confirmation with Western blotting. The seroprevalence of HTLV-I/II among the blood donors in Osogbo, Nigeria
was found to be 3.6%. This has major implication for the blood transfusion service in Nigeria.
Conclusion: The study concluded that there is need for screening of blood donor for HTLV-I/II in order to rule out this transfusion related infection.

Keywords: human T-lymphotropic virus, T-cell leukaemia,  myelopathy/tropical spastic
paraparesis.