Socio-demographic data for the study population
Out of a total of 512 blood donors identified during this study, males represented 64% (327) of the study population, compared with 36% (185) for females (Table 1). The most representative age group in the study population was the 18–25 age group (39.8%). In terms of marital status, single people (70.7%) were more represented than married people (29.3%).
Table 1
Socio-demographic characteristics of the study population
Parameters | Category | Frequency (N = 512) | Percentage (%) |
Gender | Female | 185 | 36 |
Male | 327 | 64 |
Age group (years) | 18–25 | 204 | 39.8 |
26–40 | 109 | 21.3 |
41–50 | 75 | 14.7 |
51–60 | 91 | 17.8 |
≥ 61 | 32 | 6.3 |
Marital status | Single | 362 | 70.7 |
Married | 150 | 29.3 |
Socio-professional data on blood donors
In the population studied, for male donors, motorbike taximen/drivers were more numerous (100 people) than other professions (Table 2). Among female donors, shopkeepers were more numerous (75 people).
Table 2
Breakdown of men and women by profession
Type of profession | Donor's profession | Workforce | Percentage% |
Male profession | Cultivator | 36 | 11 |
Traders | 57 | 17.43 |
Civil servants | 49 | 14.98 |
Drivers/Motorcycle taximen | 100 | 30.58 |
Students | 75 | 22.93 |
Other | 10 | 3.05 |
| Total | 327 | 100 |
Female profession | Households | 40 | 21.62 |
Civil servants | 30 | 16.21 |
Students | 40 | 21.62 |
Traders | 75 | 40.54 |
| Total | 185 | 100 |
Prevalence of malaria in donors
During the study period, 512 blood donors were identified, of whom 375 (73.24%) were positive for malaria. Plasmodium falciparum was the only species identified.
Prevalence of malaria by sex
Male donors were more infected (84.1%) than female donors (54.1%) (Table 3). The prevalence of malaria among donors showed a significant difference according to gender (P < 0.05; OR = 4.5).
Table 3
Breakdown of infected donors by sex
Parameter | Category | Total (N = 512) | infected N (%) | OR (95% IC) | p-value |
Gender | Female | 185 | 100 (54.1) | 1a | |
Male | 327 | 275 (84.1) | 4.5 (2.97–6.8) | 0.0001 |
Prevalence of malaria according to age
The prevalence of malaria by age group among blood donors showed that the 26–40 age group was the most infected (84.1%), and the least infected was the 18–25 age group (54.1%) (Table 4). The prevalence of malaria among blood donors showed a significant difference according to gender for the following age groups: 26 to 40 years, 41 to 50 years, and 61 years and over (P < 0.05).
Table 4
Breakdown of malaria positivity by age group
Parameter | Category | Total (N = 512) | infected N (%) | OR (95% IC) | p-value |
Age group (years) | 18–25 | 204 | 125 (61.3) | 1a | |
26–40 | 109 | 97 (89) | 5.1 (2.63–9.91) | 0.0001 |
41–50 | 75 | 66 (88) | 4.6 (2.8–9.2) | 0.0001 |
51–60 | 91 | 60 (66) | 1.2 (0.7–2.1) | 0.44 |
≥ 61 | 32 | 27 (84.3) | 3.4 (1.3–9.2) | 0.01 |
Prevalence of malaria according to marital status.
The prevalence of malaria according to marital status among blood donors showed that single people were more infected (77.3%) than married people (63.3%) (Table 5). The prevalence of malaria showed a significant difference (P < 0.05; OR = 2).
Table 5
Distribution of positive donors according to marital status.
Parameter | Category | Total (N = 512) | infected N (%) | OR (95% IC) | p-value |
Marital status | Single | 362 | 280 (77.3) | 2 (1.3-3) | 0.001 |
Married | 150 | 95 (63.3) | 1a | |
Prevalence of malaria according to net use.
Microscopic diagnosis of samples taken from blood donors showed that 83.61% of positive tests were found in donors who said they did not sleep under a mosquito net, while those who did sleep under a mosquito net accounted for 13.15% of positive tests (Table 6).
Table 6
Distribution of blood donors according to net use.
Use of the mosquito net | Infected person (N = 375) | Frequency of use N (%) | OR (95% IC) | p-value |
Yes | 76 | 10 (13.15) | 1a | |
No | 327 | 250 (83.61) | 21.4 (10.5–43.7) | 0.0001 |
Distribution according to parasite density
Parasite density varied between 200 and 3600 parasites per microliter of blood. Four groups of parasite density were defined:
Group 1: Parasite density less than 500.
Group 2: Parasite density between 500 and 1000 inclusive.
Group 3: Parasite density between 1000 and 2000, inclusive.
Group 4: Parasite density greater than or equal to 2000.
In this study, blood donors in the [26–40] and [18–25] age groups had the highest parasite density, which is represented by group 4 (Table 7).
Table 7
Breakdown of age groups according to parasite density
Age range | group parasite density |
[18–25] | group 4 |
[26–40] | group 4 |
[41–50] | group 3 |
[51–60] | group 2 |
> 61 | group 1 |
History of malaria reported by donors
The majority of donors, 73.24% (375) had reported having suffered episodes of malaria during the year. The predominant expression of this history of malaria was a single attack reported by the blood donors, i.e., 53.71% of these cases had reported a severe attack of malaria requiring hospitalization. Twenty-seven blood donors, or 5.27%, had both malaria attacks. Of the 275 donors who said they had suffered an attack of malaria, 200 (72.72%) had received anti-malarial treatment in a health center, and 75 (27.27%) had been treated locally.
Preventive measures used by donors
All the blood donors recorded in this study (512) had not undergone chemo-prophylaxis but took medicines or herbal teas as a cure when they felt symptoms of malaria. Three hundred and seventy-five (73.24%) were used to treating themselves with street medicines, and 137 (26.75%) took herbal teas. Of all the blood donors, 136 (26.56%) reported sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
Clinical symptoms of malaria-positive donors
Of the 375 patients who tested positive for malaria, none had malaria symptoms (Table 8).
Table 8
Distribution of symptoms according to malaria-positive blood donors
Symptoms | Yes | No |
Fever | 0 | 375 |
Fatigue | 0 | 375 |
Diarrhoea | 0 | 375 |
Nausea | 0 | 375 |
Abdominal pain | 0 | 375 |
Muscle pain | 0 | 375 |
Vomiting | 0 | 375 |