SEROPREVALENCE AND MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF MALARIA PARASITES AMONG BLOOD DONORS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
SEROPREVALENCE AND MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF MALARIA PARASITES AMONG BLOOD DONORS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2016-11
Authors
DZINGINA, Garba Douglas
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Abstract
This research was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence and molecular identification of malaria parasites among blood donors in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Blood specimens were obtained from 360 blood donors for detection and identification using Giemsa stained thick and thin blood films, rapid diagnostic test kit and Polymerase chain reaction. A total of 27 (7.5%) of the subjects had malaria parasitaemia detected by microscopy with a mean parasite density of 126/μl of blood. The rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kit detected 31 (8.6%) positive cases. Plasmodium falciparum was determined to be responsible for all the cases. There were no mixed infections and no other blood parasites were observed. Malaria parasitaemia in blood donors was not significantly associated with the risk factors considered except occupation and blood group. Also, malaria parasitaemia had no significant effect on the haematological parameters considered. Compared with microscopy, the RDT kit was 70% sensitive and 97% specific. Out of the 23 cases tested by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), six (26.1%) were positive. The species of the parasite was further confirmed through sequencing of the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome to be Plasmodium falciparum with 97% identity and accession number KT119883.1These findings indicate the need for blood banks to include malaria parasite species screening as a routine test of blood from donors to avert its deadly complications.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN MICROBIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY, FACULTY OF LIFE SCIENCES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA.
Keywords
SEROPREVALENCE,, MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION,, MALARIA PARASITES,, BLOOD DONORS,, KADUNA STATE,, NIGERIA