SEROPREVALENCE
AND TRENDS OF SYPHILIS AMONG BLOOD DONORS AT HOSPITAL UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA
FROM 2011 TO 2019.
Hisham Atan EDINUR,1 Zefarina ZULKAFLI,2,4* Mohd Nazri
HASSAN,2,4 Noor Haslina MOHD NOOR,2,4
Marini RAMLI,2,4 Salfarina IBERAHIM,2,4 Khairiah
YAZID,2,4 Wan Suriana WAN AB RAHMAN,3,4 Rosnah BAHAR,1,4
Shafini MOHAMMED YUSOFF,3,4 Nur Syahmina RASUDIN1.
1School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains
Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.
2School
of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang
Kerian, Kelantan.
3School
of Dental Sciences & Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang
Kerian, Kelantan.
4Hospital
USM, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended pre-transfusion screening
tests on donated blood samples to prevent and reduce transmission of Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV),
and Syphilis. Methods: This study
was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence and trends of syphilis infection
among blood donors by retrospectively reviewing blood donation data stored at
the Transfusion Medicine Unit, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (Hospital USM)
for the years 2011 to 2019. Results:
A total of 113,174 donors were recruited for this study period, comprising
58.93% males and 41.07% females. We found that donors in the age range of 17-29,
unmarried, and of Malay ethnicity contributed the largest number of seropositive
cases (38.89%, 50%, and 75%, respectively).
Conclusion: Our study showed an
increase in the seroprevalence of syphilis among blood donors, albeit at a low
rate. Several approaches highlighted here can be used as efficient strategies to
prevent patients from acquiring transfusion-transmissible agents.
Keywords: Blood donor, Seroprevalence, Syphilis, Malaysia.
Corresponding author:
Dr Zefarina Zulkafli, School of Medical Sciences, School of Health Sciences,
Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Email:
zefarina@usm.my;
Tel. no.: +012-4416455
Brunei Int Med J.2024;20:89-92