Search for Plasmodium Trophozoites in Volunteer Blood Donors at the Djougou Blood Transfusion Station

Aims: Malaria is a real public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa; more than 300 million new cases and about two million deaths occur each year. Blood transfusion is a potential route of Plasmodium transmission, but there is still no consensus on measures to prevent post-transfusion malaria in endemic areas. In order to determine the prevalence rate of asymptomatic Plasmodium carriers among voluntary blood donors and to prove the risk of transfusion malaria.

Patients and Methods: we conducted a study from 29 March 2018 to 31 May 2018 in the laboratory of the Centre de Santé de la Commune (CSC) in Djougou, which houses a Blood Transfusion Station (BTS) and handled a total of 337 blood samples collected. Thick drop (TG), blood smear (FS) and microscopy were the methods used to enhance our results.

Results: At the end of the work, out of 337 cases studied, we obtained 58 positive cases of Plasmodium trophozoites, i.e. 17.21% and 279 negative cases, i.e. 82.79%. The positivity is higher in subjects with a body temperature between 36° C and 37.4°C, i.e. 56.89%, and therefore considered to be asymptomatic carriers.

Conclusion: Based on these facts, it is advisable to establish a system for the prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium carriers among blood donors and to eliminate malaria after a blood transfusion.