A new analysis of 18 studies involving about 12,500 blood donations in Cameroon reveals that 16.6% of donations carry Plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria. The review also found that 0.5% of donations had Loa loa (a parasitic worm) and 17.7% showed evidence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. These findings highlight a potential risk for transfusion-transmitted infections in the region.
The studies were mostly from three regions of Cameroon (Littoral, Northwest, Centre), and the analysis noted a publication bias for the malaria studies, meaning the true rate could be different. There was limited information on whether these infections actually caused illness in recipients, and no clinical impact data were available for most pathogens.
While the presence of these pathogens in donated blood is concerning, the review does not prove that they are commonly transmitted through transfusions or cause disease. The authors call for updated blood safety guidelines in Cameroon to include screening for these neglected infections. For now, the findings are a reminder of the importance of robust blood screening, but they do not change current practice.