Seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis Among Blood Donors in Omdurman, Sudan (2019–2022): A Retrospective Study

Eithar Zain Elaabdeen Mohammed Ahmed, Elharam Ibrahim Abdallah, Abdel Rahim Mahmoud Muddathir, Wala Eldin Osman Elradi, Fawzia Awad Elhassan Ali, Habab Merghani Yassin, et al.

 
For citation: Ahmed EZEM, Abdallah EI, Muddathir ARM, Elradi WEO, Ali FAE, Yassin HM, Hamad NA, Omer AE, Eltayeb LB. Seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis Among Blood Donors in Omdurman, Sudan (2019–2022): A Retrospective Study. International Journal of Biomedicine. 2026;16(1):95-100. doi:10.21103/Article16(1)_OA13
 
Originally published March 5, 2026

Abstract: 

Background: Transfusion-transmitted infection (TTI) poses significant risks to blood transfusion safety and represents a major public health challenge in Sudan. However, current data on TTI prevalence among blood donors is limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of TTIs among male blood donors at the Blood Bank of Nao Teaching Hospital, Omdurman, Sudan, from January 2019 to December 2022.
Methods and Results: A retrospective 4-year descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using blood donation records to examine the prevalence of TTI, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and syphilis. Data were analyzed for trends over the four-year period. The study identified a total TTI prevalence of 8.8% (302 of 3401 donors). Among TTI, HBV had the highest prevalence at 4.29%, followed by syphilis at 3.91%. HIV prevalence was 0.56%, and HCV prevalence was 0.12%. No cases of co-infection were reported. The overall TTI prevalence declined from 10.2% in 2019 to 6.9% in 2022.
Conclusion: The findings emphasize the importance of ongoing monitoring and improved screening measures to enhance blood safety in Sudan. The high prevalence of HBV and syphilis underscores the need for targeted public health campaigns to raise awareness and promote safe blood donation practices.

Keywords: 
HBV• HCV • HIV • syphilis
References: 
  1. Widman FK, editor. Technical manual. American Association of Blood Banks; 1985.
  2. Bisetegen FS, Bekele FB, Ageru TA, Wada FW. Transfusion-Transmissible Infections among Voluntary Blood Donors at Wolaita Sodo University Teaching Referral Hospital, South Ethiopia. Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol. 2016;2016:8254343. doi: 10.1155/2016/8254343. Epub 2016 Aug 15. PMID: 27597875; PMCID: PMC5002453.
  3. Soares CC, Georg I, Lampe E, Lewis L, Morgado MG, Nicol AF, Pinho AA, Salles RC, Teixeira SL, Vicente AC, Viscidi RP, Gomes SA. HIV-1, HBV, HCV, HTLV, HPV-16/18, and Treponema pallidum infections in a sample of Brazilian men who have sex with men. PLoS One. 2014 Aug 1;9(8):e102676. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102676. PMID: 25083768; PMCID: PMC4118852.
  4. UNAIDS. Fact sheet - Latest statistics on the status of the AIDS epidemic. 2017.
  5. Badawi MM, Atif MS, Mustafa YY. Systematic review and meta-analysis of HIV, HBV and HCV infection prevalence in Sudan. Virol J. 2018 Sep 25;15(1):148. doi: 10.1186/s12985-018-1060-1. PMID: 30253805; PMCID: PMC6157049.
  6. McCarthy MC, Hyams KC, el-Tigani el-Hag A, el-Dabi MA, el-Sadig el-Tayeb M, Khalid IO, George JF, Constantine NT, Woody JN. HIV-1 and hepatitis B transmission in Sudan. AIDS. 1989 Nov;3(11):725-9. doi: 10.1097/00002030-198911000-00006. PMID: 2515878.
  7. Olokoba AB, Olokoba LB, Salawu FK, Danburam A, Desalu OO, Midala J, et al. Syphilis in voluntary blood donors in North-Eastern, Nigeria. European Journal of Scientific Research.2009;31(3):335-340.
  8. Garg S, Mathur DR, Garg DK. Comparison of seropositivity of HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis in replacement and voluntary blood donors in western India. Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2001 Oct;44(4):409-12. PMID: 12035351.
  9. Ahmed NOA, Omer ED, Mohammed MAA. Sero-prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors in Khartoum, Central Sudan. Eur Acad Res. 2016;IV(3):2566.
  10. Minshawi F, Abdulshakoor AA, Alwakil EM, Basfar GT, Kabrah S, Aslam A, Almasmoum H, Mujalli A, Moaminah RH, Almoalad GA, Alwadani MA, Alzahrani MG, Alsehemi KA, Refaat B. Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections among blood donors in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. J Infect Dev Ctries. 2024 Jun 30;18(6):957-963. doi: 10.3855/jidc.19559. PMID: 38991002.
  11. Aliyo A, Ashenafi G, Adem S. Evaluation of Transfusion Transmissible Infections Prevalence and Trend Among Blood Donors Attended at Bule Hora Blood Bank, West Guji, South Ethiopia. Health Serv Res Manag Epidemiol. 2022 Nov 3;9:23333928221136717. doi: 10.1177/23333928221136717. PMID: 36337767; PMCID: PMC9634199.
  12. Siraj N, Achila OO, Issac J, Menghisteab E, Hailemariam M, Hagos S, Gebremeskel Y, Tesfamichael D. Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors at National Blood Transfusion Service, Eritrea: a seven-year retrospective study. BMC Infect Dis. 2018 Jun 7;18(1):264. doi: 10.1186/s12879-018-3174-x. PMID: 29879912; PMCID: PMC5992706.
  13. Sharma HB, Bansal M, Sharma R, Kumar N, Munjal D. Seroprevalence of Transfusion Transmitted Diseases in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Northern India: A Five Year Retrospective Study. Natl J Lab Med. 2022;11(2).
  14. Almugadam BS, Ibrahim OMA, Ahmed YMA. Seroprevalence of the Serological Markers of Transfusion-Transmissible Infections among Volunteer Blood Donors of Kosti Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. Medicines (Basel). 2021 Oct 29;8(11):64. doi: 10.3390/medicines8110064. PMID: 34822361; PMCID: PMC8619909.
  15.  Mohamed B, Gibreel MO, Badaneen M. Prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections among blood donors in Port Sudan. East Mediterr Health J. 2019;44:72.
  16. Ahmed EB, Essa AA, Almugadam BS, Ahmed QM, Hussein MM. Transfusion transmitted infections among male blood donors of White Nile State, Sudan: Screening of the current seroprevalence and distribution. BMC Res Notes. 2020 Nov 30;13(1):549. doi: 10.1186/s13104-020-05333-6. PMID: 33256839; PMCID: PMC7708122.
  17. Hadfield PY, Vechey GA, Bansah E, Nyahe M, Khuzwayo N, Tarkang EE. Transfusion-Transmissible Infections Among Blood Donors in a Regional Hospital in Ghana: A 6-Year Trend Analysis (2017-2022). J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care. 2024 Jan-Dec;23:23259582241274305. doi: 10.1177/23259582241274305. PMID: 39175401; PMCID: PMC11342317.
  18. Ratib D, Lako R, Umar B, Yahiya O, Picozzi K. Viral transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors in Maridi County Hospital, South Sudan. South Sudan Med J. 2014;7:4-6.
  19. Fessehaye N, Naik D, Fessehaye T. Transfusion transmitted infections - a retrospective analysis from the National Blood Transfusion Service in Eritrea. Pan Afr Med J. 2011;9:40. doi: 10.4314/pamj.v9i1.71219. Epub 2011 Aug 18. PMID: 22145069; PMCID: PMC3215562.
  20. World Health Organization. Expanded program on immunization, hepatitis B vaccine, making global progress: EPI update. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO; 1996.

Download Article
Received December 1, 2025.
Accepted January 20, 2026.
©2026 International Medical Research and Development Corporation.