Hepatitis B and Malaria Among Nepalese Blood Donors

Abstract

Viral hepatitis and malaria, both are the diseases with noticeable disease burden in Nepal. Malaria is seasonal with high disease burden during post rainy season. Severe malaria also shows similar symptoms to viral hepatitis. This is collaborative study has been conducted during June - September 2006 with the objective of determining the prevalence of hepatitis B and malaria in Nepalese blood donors to find out the need of routine malaria testing in each pint of donated blood.

During the study period, screening of malaria and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were done in 1200 blood samples collected from blood donors at Kathmandu, Nepalgunj and Biratnagar Blood Banks. Malaria diagnosis was done using one drop of blood from each unit of blood using Giemsa stained thick and thin smear microscopy, while hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was detected using commercial ELISA.

Of the total 1200 blood samples analyzed, 600 were collected at Kathmandu and 300 each at Nepalgunj and Biratnagar blood banks, situated in malaria endemic southern districts. Among the total 1200 samples, 1% (12) of the sample was found reactive for HBsAg; while only 0.33 % (4) samples were positive for malarial parasite. 1.33% (8) samples from Kathmandu and 1.33% (4) samples from Nepalgunj were positive for HBV. 1% (3) samples from Nepalgunj and 0.33% (1) sample from Biratnagar were found to be positive for malarial parasite. None of the samples from Biratnagar were positive for HBsAg, while none of the samples from Kathmandu were positive for malarial parasite. All of the malaria cases were due to Plasmodium vivax. All the infected cases were male. Co-infection of malaria and HBV was not observed during the entire period of study.

However more extensive study is needed in other endemic areas of Nepal, the study indicated that the continuation of screening each point of donated blood for Hepatitis B, while screening of malarial parasites in donors of endemic terai districts may be useful in preventing transmission of malaria through transfusion.

Key words: Hepatitis; Malaria; ELISA; Blood donors; Blood transfusion.

DOI: 10.3126/sw.v5i5.2661

Scientific World, Vol. 5, No. 5, July 2007 81-84