Contributions
Abstract: PB2524
Type: Publication Only
Background
Malaria is an increasing concern to blood transfusion services in non-endemic areas. Many blood donors travel to and from malaria endemic areas making it more difficult to ensure blood safety. Therefore, donor selection and deferral strategies are crucial to identify donors at risk of malaria exposure. Generally, these deferral strategies are not sensitive nor specific and can result in negative impact on the blood availability. Oman is a very low risk for malaria after an eradication program launched successfully in the 1990s. However, due to its location and historical connections with Asia and Africa many blood donors are deferred for malaria risk.
Aims
Our study aim to assess the impact of malaria deferrals on blood availability in Oman.
Methods
Records of all blood donors at the Central Blood Bank in Oman between November 2014 and October 2015 were reviewed. Archived donor forms, daily worksheets and the Information Technology “IT” system were used to collect rates of attending donors, total donations, total deferrals, positive serology and malaria-related deferrals. The percentage of donors deferred due to travel to malaria risk area, their country of origin, the areas of exposure and the duration of deferral were calculated.
Results
The total number of blood donors attended during the study period was 40285 donors. The total number of pre-donation deferrals was 12287 (30.5%) in addition to 2128 (5.3%) post-donation deferrals mainly due to reactive serology markers. The malaria risk related deferrals were 4578 donor (37.3% of total deferrals and 11.4% of total attending donors). Approximately 40% of those deferred for malaria risk were Omani nationals. The remaining 60% non-Omani deferrals were mainly Indians (79%) followed by donors from Pakistan (9%), Bangladesh (3.5%), Philippine (2%) and other nationalities. The common malaria endemic areas of exposure include India (60.1%) followed by Thailand (8%), Malaysia (7.6%), Pakistan (6.8%), Tanzania (4.1%) and several other Asian and African countries. The duration of deferral was ≥ 6 months in 67.1% (3074/4578) of deferred donors including 261 (5.7%) donors with permanent deferral due to previous history of malaria infection.
Conclusion
A significant number of blood donors in Oman are deferred because of travel to malaria-endemic areas. This negative impact on the blood availability requires a change in the current deferral strategy to ensure blood availability while maintaining the safety of blood products. Targeted malaria screening approach for blood donors at risk is required.
Session topic: 32. Transfusion medicine
Keyword(s): Blood transfusion, malaria
Abstract: PB2524
Type: Publication Only
Background
Malaria is an increasing concern to blood transfusion services in non-endemic areas. Many blood donors travel to and from malaria endemic areas making it more difficult to ensure blood safety. Therefore, donor selection and deferral strategies are crucial to identify donors at risk of malaria exposure. Generally, these deferral strategies are not sensitive nor specific and can result in negative impact on the blood availability. Oman is a very low risk for malaria after an eradication program launched successfully in the 1990s. However, due to its location and historical connections with Asia and Africa many blood donors are deferred for malaria risk.
Aims
Our study aim to assess the impact of malaria deferrals on blood availability in Oman.
Methods
Records of all blood donors at the Central Blood Bank in Oman between November 2014 and October 2015 were reviewed. Archived donor forms, daily worksheets and the Information Technology “IT” system were used to collect rates of attending donors, total donations, total deferrals, positive serology and malaria-related deferrals. The percentage of donors deferred due to travel to malaria risk area, their country of origin, the areas of exposure and the duration of deferral were calculated.
Results
The total number of blood donors attended during the study period was 40285 donors. The total number of pre-donation deferrals was 12287 (30.5%) in addition to 2128 (5.3%) post-donation deferrals mainly due to reactive serology markers. The malaria risk related deferrals were 4578 donor (37.3% of total deferrals and 11.4% of total attending donors). Approximately 40% of those deferred for malaria risk were Omani nationals. The remaining 60% non-Omani deferrals were mainly Indians (79%) followed by donors from Pakistan (9%), Bangladesh (3.5%), Philippine (2%) and other nationalities. The common malaria endemic areas of exposure include India (60.1%) followed by Thailand (8%), Malaysia (7.6%), Pakistan (6.8%), Tanzania (4.1%) and several other Asian and African countries. The duration of deferral was ≥ 6 months in 67.1% (3074/4578) of deferred donors including 261 (5.7%) donors with permanent deferral due to previous history of malaria infection.
Conclusion
A significant number of blood donors in Oman are deferred because of travel to malaria-endemic areas. This negative impact on the blood availability requires a change in the current deferral strategy to ensure blood availability while maintaining the safety of blood products. Targeted malaria screening approach for blood donors at risk is required.
Session topic: 32. Transfusion medicine
Keyword(s): Blood transfusion, malaria