Seroprevalence and risk of transmission of HBV, HCV and HIV in approved blood donors in southern Mozambique

Blood transfusion is an essential component of modern medical care. However, its use is associated with risks, including the transmission of infectious agents such as Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Monitoring seroprevalence among approved blood donors is important for assessing transfusion safety. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and risk of transmission of HBV, HCV, and HIV among approved blood donors in Gaza and Inhambane provinces. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among approved blood donors in eight health facilities in Gaza and Inhambane provinces between December 2022 and February 2024. Sociodemographic data and results from HBV, HCV, HIV serological testing were collected using the ODK Collect tool. Additional testing was conducted on plasma samples that were negative or indeterminate for the three pathogens using the cobas MPX. A total of 3,662 approved blood donors were included. Most participants were male (79.2%), aged 18–29 years (57.6%), and replacement donors (71.9%). The seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV was 1.3% (44; 95% CI: 0.9–1.7), 0.0% (0; 95% CI: 0.0–0.1), and 1.3% (46; 95% CI: 0.9–1.7), respectively. The frequency of HBV, HCV, and HIV positivity among samples that tested negative in serological tests was 18.7 (46; 95% CI: 13.7–24.9), 1.2 (3; 95 IC: 0.2–3.5) and 5.5 (14; 95 IC: 3.0–9.3) per 1000 blood units, respectively. The frequency of undetermined samples for HBV, HCV and HIV was 3.3% (119; 95% CI: 2.7–3.9), 2.4% (86; 95% CI: 1.9–2.9) and 0.2% (7; 95% CI: 0.08–0.40), respectively. The seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV was low, however, a high risk of transfusion-transmitted infections was observed for all three pathogens. The study highlights the need to invest in testing and to strengthen the recruitment and retention of regular volunteer donors.