TITLE:
Immunity Status against Hepatitis B Virus in Regular Blood Donors at the Yaoundé Central Hospital Blood Bank
AUTHORS:
Sandra Ndam Amira, Symphorien Ewodo, Guy Roger Nsenga, Nadesh Ashukem Taku, Donald Muwud Tebo, Abdou Koudous Bebeto Chouwat, Simon Noel Ateba, Elvige Geukeng Dongmo, Hortense Ngegni Pangetna, Claude Tayou Tagni
KEYWORDS:
Blood Donor, Humoral Immunity, Hepatitis B Virus
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.14 No.9,
September
28,
2026
ABSTRACT: Background: Blood donation is an essential component of healthcare worldwide. Given its importance, ensuring the safety of these donations requires effective diagnosis of transfusion-transmitted pathogens such as HIV, HCV, TP, and especially HBV, which is currently a global public health concern. One of the best methods for ensuring this safety is verifying donor protection against the hepatitis B virus after vaccination. The more immunized donors are the safer blood donations will be. Thus, this study aimed to assess the humoral immunity status against hepatitis B in regular blood donors. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on regular blood donors at the Yaoundé Central Hospital (HCY) blood bank, in which total HBcAg antibodies, HBs antibodies, and HBsAg were detected using the ELISA method (Fortress®). Results: Among 128 seronegative blood donors screened for HBsAg, we obtained a vaccination coverage rate of 13.28% (17/128) with a humoral immunity rate of 33.59% (43/128) for immunizing HBsAg and an HBsAg-mediated humoral response significantly associated with receiving three doses of vaccine (OR = 4.52, 95% CI: 1.069 - 19.18, p = 0.040). Conclusion: This study shows that vaccination coverage among blood donors is very low and that humoral immunity against HBV is primarily due to prior exposure to the virus. However, it is recommended that all blood donors be systematically screened for HBsAg.