Characteristics, behaviors and association between Human African Trypanosomiasis and HIV seropositivity among volunteer blood donors in a semi-rural area: A survey from Kikwit, the Democratic Republic of Congo

Lefils Kasiama Ndilu; Mathilde Bothale Ekila; Donald Fundji Mayuma; Alain Musaka; Roger Wumba; Michel Ntetani Aloni

doi:10.1515/ap-2016-0096

Article

Characteristics, behaviors and association between Human African Trypanosomiasis and HIV seropositivity among volunteer blood donors in a semi-rural area: A survey from Kikwit, the Democratic Republic of Congo

Lefils Kasiama Ndilu , Mathilde Bothale Ekila , Donald Fundji Mayuma , Alain Musaka , Roger Wumba and Michel Ntetani Aloni

Published/Copyright: October 22, 2016

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From the journal Acta Parasitologica Volume 61 Issue 4

Abstract

Blood safety is a major element in the strategy to control the HIV epidemic. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and the associated factors of a positive HIV test among blood donors and its association between Human African Trypanosomiasis in Kikwit, the Democratic Republic of Congo. A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2012 and May 2013. An anonymous questionnaire was designed to extract relevant data. The average mean age of participants was 30 years. The majority were man (67.8%). The overall prevalence of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human African trypanosomiasis was respectively 3.2%, 1.9%, 1.6%, 1.3% and 1.3%. Alcohol intake, casual unprotected sex, not using condoms during casual sex, sex after alcohol intake and seroprevalence of human African trypanosomiasis were significantly associated with a positive HIV test result ( p<0.05). In this study, sexual risk behaviors were the major risk factors associated with positive HIV tests in blood donors living in Kikwit. It is important to raise awareness about HIV and voluntary blood donation in response to some observations noted in this study such as the low educational level of the blood donors, the low level of knowledge of HIV prevention methods.

Keywords: Blood donors; HIV; Human African Trypanosomiasis behaviors; risk factors; rural area; Kikwit; the Democratic Republic of Congo; Africa

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the individuals who participated in this study. We thank Prof Buassa-bu Tsumbu, Mr Madila Gaston and Kanjinga Bernard for laboratory analysis at Institute of tropical medicine at General Hospital of Kinshasa. We thank all our colleagues involved in the collection of samples, all the nurses and technicians of the two centers for the support given for the present study.

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Received: 2015-11-16

Revised: 2016-6-2

Accepted: 2016-6-15

Published Online: 2016-10-22

Published in Print: 2016-12-1

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https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2016-0096

Keywords for this article

Blood donors; HIV; Human African Trypanosomiasis behaviors; risk factors; rural area; Kikwit; the Democratic Republic of Congo; Africa