Collection and Transfusion of Blood in Jos University Teaching Hospital Jos, Nigeria, 2000 – 2005

Objective: This study was embarked on to investigate the pattern of blood collection and transfusion in Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Jos between 2000 and 2005 in the face of the present human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic.Methodology: Blood bank records of blood donors and transfusions were obtained. Comparison of the blood collected against the demand for each year studied was done. Records of pre donation screening for transfusion transmissible infections were also obtained.Results: A total of 21,123 units of whole blood all of which were homologous donations were collected. Approximately three thousand units were donated yearly. A total of 19,786 units were actually transfused.A steady increase in the demand for blood was observed. Mean percentage of seropositivity for Anti- HBsAg, HCV and HIV antibodies were 21, 7.3 and 6.9 respectively. There were no screenings for Syphilis during the period under review.Conclusion: We conclude that blood collection and transfusion in JUTH is on the increase with anti- HIV positivity still being high. There is therefore, an urgent need to further improve the safety of blood transfused through provision of appropriate screening methods, encouragement of autologousdonations and ensuring good laboratory practice

Acute myeloblastic leukaemia in pregnancy - case reports

Leukaemia in pregnancy is a rare presentation and not often reported. This is the first report of acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML) in pregnancy from this environment. The diagnostic and therapeutic management of pregnant patient with cancer are especially difficult because two persons are involved, the mother and the foetus. Clear guidelines for the management of these cases are, therefore, necessary. We present our experience on two Nigerian women confirmed to have AML in pregnancy with a view to suggesting possible management guidelines for future use. Keywords: acute myeloblastic leukaemia, pregnancy, Nigeria Highland Medical Research Journal Vol. 3(2) 2005: 144-14

Seroprevalence and risk factors for human T cell lymphotropic viruses types 1 and 2 among blood donors in Jos, Nigeria

ABSTRACT Aims: To determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of human T cell Lymphotrophic viruses 1 and 2 among blood donors in Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria. Methods: A cross sectional study of 500 consecutive blood donors from the blood bank of Jos University Teaching Hospital and National Blood Transfusion Services Jos were recruited into the study. Questionnaires were administered and blood samples were collected from all participants. Sera of the blood donors were assayed for HTLV 1 and 2 using microenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data was analysed using Epi Info version 3.5.1 and statistical significance was set at p-values ≤0.05. Results: The mean age of the study population was 29.9±8.9 years with a male -female ratio of 4. donors had different forms of exposure to risk factors, none was positive for HTLV-1 or HTLV-2. Conclusion: Human T cell lymphotrophic virus had zero seroprevalence among tested blood donors in Jos. However, continuous surveillance is necessary to keep the prevalence at low ebb. Further studies using larger sample size to include other healthy adults, commercial sex workers and pregnant women should be carried out in the entire country to define the prevalence of the virus in Nigeria

Correction: Quantification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity by spectrophotometry: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003084.]

Quantification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity by spectrophotometry: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The radical cure of Plasmodium vivax and P. ovale requires treatment with primaquine or tafenoquine to clear dormant liver stages. Either drug can induce haemolysis in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, necessitating screening. The reference diagnostic method for G6PD activity is ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry; however, a universal G6PD activity threshold above which these drugs can be safely administered is not yet defined. Our study aimed to quantify assay-based variation in G6PD spectrophotometry and to explore the diagnostic implications of applying a universal threshold. Methods and Findings: Individual-level data were pooled from studies that used G6PD spectrophotometry. Studies were identified via PubMed search (25 April 2018) and unpublished contributions from contacted authors (PROSPERO: CRD42019121414). Studies were excluded if they assessed only individuals with known haematological conditions, were family studies, or had insufficient details. Studies of malaria patients were included but analysed separately. Included studies were assessed for risk of bias using an adapted form of the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool. Repeatability and intra- and interlaboratory variability in G6PD activity measurements were compared between studies and pooled across the dataset. A universal threshold for G6PD deficiency was derived, and its diagnostic performance was compared to site-specific thresholds. Study participants (n = 15,811) were aged between 0 and 86 years, and 44.4% (7,083) were women. Median (range) activity of G6PD normal (G6PDn) control samples was 10.0 U/g Hb (6.3–14.0) for the Trinity assay and 8.3 U/g Hb (6.8–15.6) for the Randox assay. G6PD activity distributions varied significantly between studies. For the 13 studies that used the Trinity assay, the adjusted male median (AMM; a standardised metric of 100% G6PD activity) varied from 5.7 to 12.6 U/g Hb (p Conclusions: Our findings indicate that there is substantial variation in G6PD measurements by spectrophotometry between sites. This is likely due to variability in laboratory methods, with possible contribution of unmeasured population factors. While an assay-specific, universal quantitative threshold offers robust diagnosis at the 30% level, inter-study variability impedes performance of universal thresholds at the 70% level. Caution is advised in comparing findings based on absolute G6PD activity measurements across studies. Novel handheld quantitative G6PD diagnostics may allow greater standardisation in the future.</p