Prevalence and screening of hemoglobinopathies and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in Yemeni blood donors

Hemoglobinopathies and Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency pose significant health threats in Yemen, which can be alleviated through robust preventive strategies, highlighting the importance of implementing a cost-effective and efficient blood donor screening method to facilitate early diagnosis and management of erythrocyte disorders, ultimately improving both donor safety and patient health outcomes.ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the prevalence of total blood cell abnormalities, hemoglobinopathies and G6PD deficiency and evaluate the efficacy of red blood cell (RBC) indices, mentzer index (MI) and naked-eye single tube red cell osmotic fragility (NESTROF) test as screening tools for diagnosis of beta thalassemia trait among Yemeni blood donors.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 106 volunteer blood donors who met the national standard criterion of blood donation. Various tests were performed, including complete blood count (CBC), serum ferritin, sickling test, G6PD assay, NESTROF test and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).ResultsThe prevalence of hematological abnormalities among blood donors reached 68.9%, with functional RBC abnormalities at 51.9%, leukopenia at 10.4%, thrombocytosis at 1.9%, and thrombocytopenia at 4.7%. Additionally, hemoglobinopathies were found in 21.7% of donors, with beta-thalassemia trait at 3.8%, sickle cell trait at 1.9%, and suspected alpha-thalassemia trait at 16%, while G6PD deficiency and iron deficiency were present in 12.3% and 17.9% of donors, respectively. The NESTROF test, MCV and MCH demonstrated a sensitivity rate of 100%. MI and MCH exhibited the highest specificity followed by NESTROF test in the screening of beta-thalassemia trait.ConclusionsThe prevalence of hemoglobinopathies and G6PD deficiency appear to be common among Yemeni blood donors. These results emphasize the necessity of comprehensive blood donation screening programs to safeguard the blood supply and promote early detection and management of hemoglobinopathies and G6PD deficiency in Yemen.