article · International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health
A study conducted at the Regional Hospital Bamenda, Cameroon, investigated the prevalence of malaria and Toxoplasma gondii in 337 blood donors and their impact on IgE and albumin blood levels. Researchers found malaria in 13.6% of donors, Toxoplasma gondii IgG in 30.9%, and IgM in 4.7%, with a co-infection rate of 0.9%. Malaria-infected individuals showed significantly higher IgE and lower albumin levels. Similarly, Toxoplasma gondii infection was associated with significantly higher IgE and lower albumin levels. The study concludes that screening for these haemoparasites and measuring IgE and albumin levels are important considerations before blood transfusion.
Ensuring the safety of blood transfusions is critical for patient health. This research highlights that common blood parasites can alter important blood markers in donors. Recognising these changes could improve screening processes in blood banks, potentially leading to safer transfusions and better patient outcomes, especially in regions where these parasites are common.
The abstract suggests that measuring IgE and albumin levels, alongside parasite screening, is important before blood transfusion. This indicates a potential application in improving blood bank screening protocols and diagnostic tools. It is early-stage research, providing evidence for enhanced screening practices in healthcare settings, particularly in regions with high parasite prevalence.
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Aims: This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of blood protozoans and their effect on IgE and Albumin levels among blood donors. Study Design: The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the Regional Hospital Bamenda Blood Bank in the Northwest Region of Cameroon from March 2022 to May 2022. Methodology: We included 337 blood donors (255men, 82 women) with age range of 19-57 years. Venous blood samples were collected and use to screen for malaria, the presence of T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) was determination using Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) and Serum Albumin was measured by spectrophotometry. Results: The prevalence of malaria, Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM was 13.6% (46/337), 30.9% ( and 4.7% (16/337) respectively, while the prevalence of Malaria and Toxoplasma IgM co-infection was 0.9% (3/337). Prevalence of blood parasites showed no significant difference (p>0.05) with any of the socio-demographic factors. Malaria and toxoplasmosis co-infection prevalence were higher in males (1.3%), in the 31-40 years age group (1.6%), those with secondary level of education (1.3%), and those who were married (2.2%). Malaria-infected participants had significantly higher mean IgE levels (96.8Ul/ml vs 47.9Ul/ml; p=0.0001) and lower Albumin values (3.97g/dl vs 4.20g/dl; p=0.61). As regards Toxoplasma gondii, we observed a significant (p<0.05) higher mean IgE levels (144.3IU/ml vs 50.1 IU/ml) and mean Albumin (3.56g/dl vs 4.22g/dl g/dl) values among those who were infected. Conclusions: Screening of blood haemoparasites before transfusion is usually neglected in most settings. The findings of this study revealed the presence of malaria and Toxoplasma gondii among blood donors and its impact on Albumin and IgE mean levels. As such it is important to measure both parameters before blood transfusion.
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DOI: 10.9734/ijtdh/2025/v46i21627
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