The relationship between donor deferral and seropositivity of transfusion-transmissible infections: Implication for transfusion services in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar

Introduction: Providing adequate and safe blood has remained a daunting challenge to medical practice, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify the common reasons for donor deferrals and to determine the seroprevalence of common transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study. Data of blood donors between June 2016 and August 2017 were obtained from the donor registry of the blood bank and analyzed using Microsoft Excel sheet. Results: Reactive test for TTIs and suboptimal packed cell volume (PCV) were the most common reasons for donor deferrals in UCTH, Calabar. A total of 12.3% of potential donors were deferred mainly due to positive screening test for TTIs and suboptimal PCV. The seroprevalence for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency viruses, and syphilis was 2.9%, 2.8%, 1.5%, and 2.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Seropositivity for TTIs and suboptimal hematocrit levels were the major reasons for donor deferrals in UCTH, Calabar.