This study
aimed at determining the risk of transfusion-transmitted malaria (TTM) from
student donors. A cross-sectional study was carried out in January 2015 in students
living in the town of Douala, Cameroon. 179 students aged between 18 and 32
years were included in the study and their blood tested for the presence of
malaria parasites using thick blood films. A questionnaire form was
administered to each participant for documenting socio demographical, clinical
and malaria-related data. The prevalence of malaria infection among donors was27.54%.
Overall prevalence of the asymptomatic malaria was 10.17% which
accounted for 47.36% of all cases of malaria infection. Mean parasite density
was the highest in males, 21-25 years old and bed nets users with 139 ± 346
parasites/μl, 132 ± 341 parasites/μl and 156 ± 476 parasites/μl respectively.
None of the factors tested were found to be associated with an increased risk of
malaria infection (pvalue> 0.05). Finally This study has highlighted a
potential high risk of TTM from student donors. In many endemic areas malaria
diagnosis is overlooked thus increasing the risk of TTM and constraining its
appraisal. Read more....................
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