Prevalence and Factors Associated with Irregular Red Blood Cell Antibodies Among Voluntary Blood Donors at the Northern Zone Blood Transfusion Service Centre in Moshi, Tanzania

Irregular red blood cell antibodies may occur in blood donors and can cause serious complications to the point of endangering patient life if transfused. The rate of detection of irregular red blood cell antibodies among people ranges approximately from 0.2% to 2%. Despite the efforts, donated blood is still not screened for irregular red cell antibodies in many local community hospitals, and there is a scarcity of information about irregular red blood cell antibodies in Tanzania. The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence and factors associated with irregular red blood cell antibodies among voluntary blood donors at the Northern Zone Blood Transfusion Service Centre, Moshi, Kilimanjaro. It was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted in the northern zone blood transfusion center from May to June 2023. The study population was all voluntary blood donors attending the Northern Zone Blood Transfusion Center. Interview-administered questionnaires were used to collect information from study participants. Blood samples were screened for irregular RBC using a fully automated immunohematology system (NEO IRIS, Immucor Inc., Norcross, GA, USA). Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS. Logistic regression analysis determined the factors associated with irregular red blood cell antibodies among voluntary blood donors. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were reported. The mean age of participants was 29.72 (SD 8.958) years. In rural areas, the prevalence of irregular red cell antibodies was 14.3% while in urban areas it was 2.4%. Among participants with a transfusion history, the prevalence of irregular red cell antibodies was 14.3% compared to 2.4% for those who had never been transfused. We recommend including antibody screening tests in the routine pretransfusion testing protocol, especially for those requiring frequent transfusions and having the risk of alloimmunization.