Seroprevalence of Human T Cell Lymphotrophic Virus I/I1 among Blood Donors in Sokoto Nigeria

Abstract

HTLV is blood borne infectious agents that can be transmitted via blood transfusion. This study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of Human T–lymphotropic virus infection among blood donors in Sokoto Northwestern Nigeria. Diagnosis of Human T-Lymphotropic virus antigens was carried out on serum samples of 100 consecutively recruited blood donors who visited the blood bank of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital and Sokoto Specialist Hospital  for blood donation purpose. The blood donors were aged 18-65 years with mean age of 30.68±7.09 years and made up of 95 (95%) males and 5 (5%) females. Among the donors tested 1(1%) was positive while 99 (99%) were negative for HTLV. HTLV prevalence was only observed among male blood donors, 1(1.1%) while 94 (98.9%) were negative for HTLV (p-value = 0.818). Also HTLV was higher among blood donors aged between 31 to 35 years, (p-value = 0.814). HTLV prevalence was compared based on the occupational group of blood donors.  HTLV prevalence was also higher among civil servant 1 (4.3%) (p-value= 0.496). The prevalence was compared based on ethnicity most of the subjects 76 (76%) were Hausas. Of this number 1 (1.3%) was positive for HTLV (p-value= 0.956). HTLV prevalence was also observed among donors with history of high risk behaviors 1(1%) (p-value=0.685). No seropositivity was observed among those who donated blood in the past and those with history of previous transfusion. The seroprevalence of HTLV is low in this environment. Therefore large prospective study is required to establish true seroprevalence of HTLV among blood donors in Sokoto Northwestern Nigeria.