Syphilis screening practices in blood transfusion facilities in Ghana

Francis Sarkodie; Oliver Hassall; Ellis Owusu-Dabo; Shirley Owusu-Ofori; Imelda Bates; Ib C. Bygbjerg; Justina Kordai Ansah; Henrik Ullum

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2015.12.020

Syphilis screening practices in blood transfusion facilities in Ghana

Francis Sarkodie, Oliver Hassall, Ellis Owusu-Dabo, Shirley Owusu-Ofori, Imelda Bates, Ib C. Bygbjerg, Justina Kordai Ansah, Henrik Ullum

International Public Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objectives

The primary objective of this study was to compare laboratory practices for screening blood donors for syphilis at blood transfusion facilities in Ghana with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the National Blood Service, Ghana (NBSG). The prevalence of syphilis antibodies in blood donors in Ghana was also estimated.

Methods

Over an 11-month period, from February 2014 to January 2015, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 122 laboratory technical heads out of a total of 149 transfusion facilities in Ghana. The response rate was 81.9%.

Results

A total of 58 (48%) transfusion facilities tested donors for syphilis, with an estimated 3.7% seroprevalence (95% confidence interval 3.6–3.8%). A total of 62 782 out of 91 386 (68.7%) donations were tested with assays that are not recommended. The estimated syphilis seroprevalence in voluntary donations was 2.9%, compared to 4.0% in family donations (p = 0.001). Only 6.9% of the health facilities were using standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Conclusions

Despite international and national recommendations, more than half of the studied health facilities that provide blood transfusions in Ghana are not screening blood donations for syphilis. These data show a considerable mismatch between recommendations and practice, with serious consequences for blood safety and public health.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	90-94
Number of pages	5
Journal	International Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume	43
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2015.12.020
Publication status	Published - 2 Jan 2016

Keywords

Blood donors
Rapid diagnostic tests
Seroprevalence
Standard operating procedures
Transfusion facilities

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.ijid.2015.12.020Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

@article{b69e22c4b49c410ab0b2a781cecfa2b7,

title = "Syphilis screening practices in blood transfusion facilities in Ghana",

abstract = "ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study was to compare laboratory practices for screening blood donors for syphilis at blood transfusion facilities in Ghana with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the National Blood Service, Ghana (NBSG). The prevalence of syphilis antibodies in blood donors in Ghana was also estimated.MethodsOver an 11-month period, from February 2014 to January 2015, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 122 laboratory technical heads out of a total of 149 transfusion facilities in Ghana. The response rate was 81.9\%.ResultsA total of 58 (48\%) transfusion facilities tested donors for syphilis, with an estimated 3.7\% seroprevalence (95\% confidence interval 3.6–3.8\%). A total of 62 782 out of 91 386 (68.7\%) donations were tested with assays that are not recommended. The estimated syphilis seroprevalence in voluntary donations was 2.9\%, compared to 4.0\% in family donations (p = 0.001). Only 6.9\% of the health facilities were using standard operating procedures (SOPs).ConclusionsDespite international and national recommendations, more than half of the studied health facilities that provide blood transfusions in Ghana are not screening blood donations for syphilis. These data show a considerable mismatch between recommendations and practice, with serious consequences for blood safety and public health.",

keywords = "Blood donors, Rapid diagnostic tests, Seroprevalence, Standard operating procedures, Transfusion facilities",

author = "Francis Sarkodie and Oliver Hassall and Ellis Owusu-Dabo and Shirley Owusu-Ofori and Imelda Bates and Bygbjerg, \{Ib C.\} and Ansah, \{Justina Kordai\} and Henrik Ullum",

year = "2016",

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doi = "10.1016/j.ijid.2015.12.020",

language = "English",

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pages = "90--94",

journal = "International Journal of Infectious Diseases",

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publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Syphilis screening practices in blood transfusion facilities in Ghana

AU - Sarkodie, Francis

AU - Hassall, Oliver

AU - Owusu-Dabo, Ellis

AU - Owusu-Ofori, Shirley

AU - Bates, Imelda

AU - Bygbjerg, Ib C.

AU - Ansah, Justina Kordai

AU - Ullum, Henrik

PY - 2016/1/2

Y1 - 2016/1/2

N2 - ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study was to compare laboratory practices for screening blood donors for syphilis at blood transfusion facilities in Ghana with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the National Blood Service, Ghana (NBSG). The prevalence of syphilis antibodies in blood donors in Ghana was also estimated.MethodsOver an 11-month period, from February 2014 to January 2015, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 122 laboratory technical heads out of a total of 149 transfusion facilities in Ghana. The response rate was 81.9%.ResultsA total of 58 (48%) transfusion facilities tested donors for syphilis, with an estimated 3.7% seroprevalence (95% confidence interval 3.6–3.8%). A total of 62 782 out of 91 386 (68.7%) donations were tested with assays that are not recommended. The estimated syphilis seroprevalence in voluntary donations was 2.9%, compared to 4.0% in family donations (p = 0.001). Only 6.9% of the health facilities were using standard operating procedures (SOPs).ConclusionsDespite international and national recommendations, more than half of the studied health facilities that provide blood transfusions in Ghana are not screening blood donations for syphilis. These data show a considerable mismatch between recommendations and practice, with serious consequences for blood safety and public health.

AB - ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study was to compare laboratory practices for screening blood donors for syphilis at blood transfusion facilities in Ghana with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the National Blood Service, Ghana (NBSG). The prevalence of syphilis antibodies in blood donors in Ghana was also estimated.MethodsOver an 11-month period, from February 2014 to January 2015, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 122 laboratory technical heads out of a total of 149 transfusion facilities in Ghana. The response rate was 81.9%.ResultsA total of 58 (48%) transfusion facilities tested donors for syphilis, with an estimated 3.7% seroprevalence (95% confidence interval 3.6–3.8%). A total of 62 782 out of 91 386 (68.7%) donations were tested with assays that are not recommended. The estimated syphilis seroprevalence in voluntary donations was 2.9%, compared to 4.0% in family donations (p = 0.001). Only 6.9% of the health facilities were using standard operating procedures (SOPs).ConclusionsDespite international and national recommendations, more than half of the studied health facilities that provide blood transfusions in Ghana are not screening blood donations for syphilis. These data show a considerable mismatch between recommendations and practice, with serious consequences for blood safety and public health.

KW - Blood donors

KW - Rapid diagnostic tests

KW - Seroprevalence

KW - Standard operating procedures

KW - Transfusion facilities

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijid.2015.12.020

DO - 10.1016/j.ijid.2015.12.020

M3 - Article

SN - 1201-9712

VL - 43

SP - 90

EP - 94

JO - International Journal of Infectious Diseases

JF - International Journal of Infectious Diseases

ER -

Syphilis screening practices in blood transfusion facilities in Ghana

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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