Transfusion Transmissible Infections Research Articles

Evaluation of donor blood discard rates in relation to transfusion transmissible infections in Muchinga province, Zambia

Evaluation of donor blood discard rates in relation to transfusion transmissible infections in Muchinga province, Zambia

Changes in transfusion-transmissible infection prevalence and demographics among US blood donors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the US blood supply. We compared blood donor demography and infectious disease prevalence before and during the pandemic using a large multicenter database. Data were categorized as "Before COVID-19" (March 2018-February 2020) or "During COVID-19" (March 2020-February 2022). Donor demographics, donation frequency, and infectious marker prevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV were compared for the two time periods. The odds of a donor testing positive for these infections among the two time periods were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. Our study assessed a total of 26,672,213 donations including 13,430,380 before and 13,241,833 during COVID-19. There were significantly more donations from donors who were female, aged 40 and older, white, and repeat, during COVID-19. Donation frequency comparison quantified the increase in donations from donors who were white, female, older, and repeat during the pandemic. The prevalence of HIV and HCV decreased significantly during COVID-19 compared to before, but not for HBV. For HIV, the adjusted odds of infection during the pandemic did not differ but for HBV, the odds were significantly more likely during the pandemic and were significantly lower for HCV. Demographics and infectious disease marker prevalence changed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Prevalence of each infection in the donor population will continue to be monitored to determine if changes were specific to the pandemic period.

A comparative analysis of screening technologies for transfusion-transmitted infectious diseases

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ensuring the safety of blood supply relies on robust screening and donor selection processes. This study assessed the technical performance of automated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (EVOLIS, Bio-Rad, France) and electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) (COBAS 6000 e601 and COBAS e411, Roche Diagnostics, Germany) in detecting hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective data of transfusion transmissible infections (TTI) screening test results were collected from blood center records, encompassing two phases: January 2020 to May 2020 (phase 1) and March 2021 to April 2021 (phase 2). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of ELISA and ECLIA were calculated. Performance evaluation was conducted using the Youden’s index and the kappa coefficient. RESULTS: The study included a total of 824, 755, and 830 donor samples in phase 1 and 1237, 1238, and 1236 donor samples in phase 2 for HIV, HBV, and HCV testing, respectively. High agreement (kappa 0.88, 0.95) existed between ELISA and COBAS e601 for HIV and HBV, with substantial agreement (kappa 0.66) for HCV. Likewise, substantial agreement (kappa 0.66, 0.79, 0.79) was found between ELISA and COBAS e411 for all three parameters HIV, HBV and HCV, respectively. Notably, nearly all false-positive samples detected by ECLIA had low cutoff index values ranging from 1 to 6.5. CONCLUSION: The differences in sensitivity and specificity contribute to the discrepancy observed between various serological testing platforms, such as ELISA and ECLIA, for TTI testing. Specifically, low signal/cutoff ratios ≤6.5 obtained with ECLIA are highly indicative of false-positive results.

Distribution of ABO/Rhesus Blood Groups Among Hepatitis B and C Virus (HBV Ag, HCV Ab) Positive Patients in Anbar Providence, Iraq

This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infections among blood donors at Anbar Blood Bank in Iraq. The study also explored the correlation between ABO and Rh blood groups with Transfusion-Transmissible Infections (TTIs) and sociodemographic factors and cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted on 100 blood donors at Anbar Blood Bank from March 24, 2023, to June 21, 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed HBV and HCV-positive patients who provided consent, while exclusion criteria included individuals without HBV and HCV infections. Blood samples (5 mL) were collected, and tests for TTI markers (HBV, HCV) and ABO and Rh blood grouping were performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and slide method, respectively. Sociodemographic data, TTI marker results, and ABO and Rh blood types were recorded for analysis. Descriptive analysis of sociodemographic data was performed, and a chi-square test was employed to assess the correlation between ABO and Rh blood groups with TTI markers and sociodemographic factors (Age, sex, and living area). Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. The results revealed a male predominance (71%), with the majority aged between 20-30 years (39%) and residing in rural areas (52%). The most common blood group was O+ (39%), while AB- was the least prevalent (0%). In terms of viral infections, 80% of participants were found to be infected with HBs Ag, and 20% with HCV Ab. Notably, blood group O+ exhibited the highest infection rates for both HBs (28%) and HCV (11%), while blood group A- demonstrated the lowest HBs infection rate (3%) and no HCV infection. The study provides valuable insights into the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections among blood donors in Anbar, Iraq. Additionally, correlations between ABO and Rh blood groups, TTI markers, and sociodemographic factors were explored. The findings contribute to the understanding of transfusion safety and may inform blood screening and donor selection protocols.

Trends in immunological markers of transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors in Mamfe District Hospital, Southwest Cameroon

BackgroundBlood transfusion is associated with exposure to blood Transfusion Transmissible Infection (TTIs). The threat posed by the blood-borne pathogens is disproportionately distributed in different healthcare facilities in Cameroon. Thus, there is a need for continuous surveillance of TTIs in the country. This study aimed to assess the screening procedure for blood transfusion and determine the trend in immunological markers of TTIs among blood donors at the Mamfe District Hospital.MethodsA prospective descriptive, cross-sectional and analytical study was conducted at Mamfe District Hospital from March to May 2022. A total of 165 blood donors were recruited by the consecutive sampling method. Donors were screened using both Rapid diagnostic tests,T. pallidum haemagglutination test and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of TTIs. Data generated was entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analysed using the statistical software R, version 4.2.0. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics of percentages, means ± standard deviation, and student t-test was used to compare both diagnostic techniques, and was considered significant when p < 0.05.ResultsA hundred and sixty-five donors were enrolled in the study with a male preponderance giving a male-female sex ratio of 22.5 and a mean age of 32.23 ± 8.60 years. The majority (75.2%) of the donors were of the O-positive blood type, repeat donors (69.1%) and were mainly family replacement and paid donors as against the voluntary blood donors (39.4% and 37.0% vs. 23.6% respectively). overall TTIs prevalence was 18.78% (31/165) (), with HBsAg being the most predominant marker at 12.12% (20/165) followed by Treponema pallidum, HCV and HIV antibodies at 4.85 (8/165), 1.21%(2/165), 0.60% (1/165) respectively. Except for the HBV, The prevalence of TTIs was higher when using a single RDT than the ELISA test, and the difference was significant (p < 0.05).ConclusionBloodborne pathogens remain a major menace to safe blood transfusion practice in Mamfe district hospital and their detection could be easily missed if the RDT method alone is used for donor screening. Therefore, the donor screening protocol in Mamfe District Hospital should systematically incorporate a confirmation diagnostic test such as ELISA.

Effect of COVID-19 Vaccine on Blood Donor Deferral Patterns in PIMS, Islamabad

Objective: To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 vaccine on overall donor deferral patterns in PIMS, Islamabad. Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Settings: This study was carried out at Blood Bank of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad Pakistan. Duration: January 2019 to December 2021. Methods: The participants for donation were included in this cross-sectional study on the basis of certain criteria by taking their previous medical history physical examination, COVID-19 vaccination status, and transfusion-transmissible infections (TTI) screening results. All those donors who don’t meet these criteria were deferred. On the basis of causes, deferrals were categorized into temporary or permanent. Results: This study included a total of 84,669 potential donors during a period of three years (January 2019- December 2021), out of which 82,072 donors met inclusion criteria and donated blood during this period whereas 2597 donors were deferred. The overall deferred rate was 3.2% (n=2,717), out of which 13% (n=342) were deferred permanently and87% (n=2375) were deferred temporarily. The leading cause of permanent deferral includes hepatitis C (n=142), hepatitis B (n=106) and cardiac diseases (n=94). On the other hand, leading causes of temporary deferrals include COVID-19 vaccination, being under weight, underage, low HB, short gap, fatty veins and fever. Conclusion: The identification of deferrals is an important step for safe transfusions and helps to formulate criteria for efficient donor selection. The current study indicates a 3.2% deferral rate for blood donors and demands preventive steps for both donor and patient safety against HBV, HCV and AIDS.

Sero Prevalence of Transfusion Transmissible Infection in Blood Donors: North Goa District Hospital Based Study

Transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) have emerged as one of the significant public health problems globallyin blood transfusion . The morbidity and mortality associated with TTIs have highlighted the need for improvingblood safety. The present study aims to investigate the sero prevalence of various TTIs among blood donors in theNorth Goa District Hospital.This study was a retrospective cross sectional study conducted from January 2021 upto September 2023. A totalof 5,426 blood donors were included in this study. Relevant demographic and clinical data were obtained fromthe donors. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the presence of various TTIs such asHIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis.The mean age of the donors was 32 years, with the majority being males (87.4%). Out of the 5,426 donors, 11 testedpositive for HIV, 32 for HBV, 30 for HCV, and 1 for Syphilis. The overall sero prevalence of TTIs was found to be1.36%.This study highlights the importance of regular screening of blood donors to ensure blood safety. The resultsof this study can be utilized to develop and implement effective donor selection strategies, which will help inreducing the transmission of TTIs through blood transfusion.So far no such study has been published from Goa.

Clinical trial and performance evaluation of the Wantai HBsAg (CMIA) diagnostic kit for screening blood donors in China

In China, according to the ‘Technical Operating Procedures for Blood Stations (2019 Edition),’ blood stations are authorized to utilize Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA) to detect pathogen markers linked with transfusion-transmissible infections. However, currently, there is no approved CLIA reagent for the screening of blood-borne diseases in China, specifically for the detection of Hepatitis B surface antigen. The objective of this research project is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of the Wantai Chemiluminescent Microparticle Hepatitis B surface antigen reagent. This study evaluates the performance of the Wantai Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) on the Wan200 + analyzer in screening for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) in blood samples. The clinical trial component of this evaluation is included as part of the documentation submitted to the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China for the approval of blood screening reagents. The evaluation plan of this study encompasses two main components: clinical trials and performance assessment. We adopted a controlled trial design, utilizing the WanTai Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) on the Wan200 + analyzer and the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to screen for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) in routine blood donor samples and reference serum panel samples. To ensure the accuracy of the screening, we additionally employed Abbott's ELISA reagents and HBV DNA for validation. The assessment primarily focused on key performance indicators such as sensitivity, specificity, and analytical sensitivity. Moreover, this clinical trial data has been included as part of the submission to China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). In the clinical trials of this study, a total of 10,470 blood donor samples underwent simultaneous testing using both CMIA and ELISA methods. Across two clinical trials, there was remarkable concordance between CMIA and the two ELISA reagents, with Kappa values exceeding 0.82. Among the 269 samples that were double-reactive in the enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) tests, CMIA exhibited a 100% reactivity detection rate. However, CMIA produced 14 and 6 false-positive results in the respective clinical trials, resulting in specificities of 99.73% and 99.89%. In contrast, the specificities for Wantai ELISA and Xin Chuang ELISA were both greater than 99.94%.When testing samples in the gray zone serum plates, CMIA's detection limit significantly exceeded that of the two ELISA assays. CMIA had a detection cutoff of 0.05 IU/mL, while the two ELISA reagents had cutoffs of 0.1 IU/mL and 0.09 IU/mL, respectively. CMIA's detection limits for the adr and adw subtypes were 0.05 IU/mL, and for the ay subtype, it was 0.1 U/mL. The detection limit for 10 HBV mutant samples was 0.5 U/mL. In 165 cases where ELISA tested negative but HBV DNA tested positive, CMIA detected 5 HBsAg-positive samples. This study evaluated the performance of the Wantai CMIA in screening for HBsAg among blood donors. The results demonstrate outstanding performance of CMIA in both clinical trials and performance assessments, detecting all true positive samples with a sensitivity of 100%. It exhibits excellent concordance with the two ELISA assays. Of particular note is its superiority in early detection of HBsAg in the screening of early-stage hepatitis B infections, reducing the window period compared to ELISA. CMIA achieves a specificity exceeding 99.73% for negative blood donors, aligning with the European Union's standards for blood screening assay specificity. In summary, Wantai's CMIA displays high sensitivity and specificity in blood donor screening, making it suitable for screening blood donors in China.

Seropositivity and Trends of Transfusion Section Transmitted Infections among Blood Donors: Five Years Cross-sectional Study on 20,392 Blood Donors in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Introduction: Blood transfusion is a lifesaving intervention. However, it can also be a source of Transfusion-transmissible Infections (TTIs), posing a potential threat to the recipient. Testing for TTIs before blood transfusion is crucial for the safety of recipients. However, donations occurring during the window period, the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers, viral strains with high genetic variability, and technical errors are responsible for TTIs and remain one of the greatest obstacles in transfusion medicine to deal with. All blood donors are to be screened against five major infections-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Syphilis, and Malaria. Aim: To study the seroprevalence and trends of TTI among healthy blood donors at the Blood Centre of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out by reviewing blood donors’ records over a period of five years from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022, at the Blood Centre, Department of Pathology, of Sheth L.G. General Hospital, Maninagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The data collected for each seropositive donor included the results of TTI testing, the age group of donors, the type of donation, the frequency of donation, and co-infection. The results were expressed in numbers and percentages. Results: Among a total of 20,392 healthy blood donors during the five-year period, the total number of seropositive cases (n) was 243 (1.19%). TTI seropositive donors in years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 60 (1.29%), 50 (1.16%), 39 (1.22%), 45 (1.14%), and 49 (1.16%), respectively. A maximum of 118 (48.56%) seropositive donors were recorded in age group of 18-29 years. Individual seropositive donors during the fiveyear period for HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis, and malaria were 19 (0.09%), 155 (0.76%), 28 (0.14%), 41 (0.20%), and 00 (0.00%), respectively. Voluntary Blood Donors (VBD) 10,933 (53.61%) exceeded Replacement Donors (RD) 9,459 (46.39%), and repeat blood donors 14,462 (70.92%) surpassed first-time donors 5,930 (29.08%). The seroprevalence of TTI among replacement, voluntary, first-time, and repeat blood donors was 2.41%, 0.14%, 2.06% and 0.84% respectively. Out of 243 seroreactive donors, two donors (0.82%) showed dual reactivity for TTI during the five-year period. Conclusion: Implementation of strict donor selection criteria, utilisation of sensitive screening modalities, promoting public awareness, and dispelling myths regarding the merits of voluntary blood donation, judicious use of blood products, and mass immunisation for Hepatitis B infection are essential interventions needed to curb TTI to a significant extent.

Seroprevalence of Transfusion Transmitted Infections among Blood Donors at the Tertiary Care Hospital in Nadiad, Gujarat, India

Introduction: Blood transfusion is an effective treatment for saving millions of lives, even though transfusion-transmissible infections are a major problem. An integrated approach for blood safety is required, which includes the collection of blood only from voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors. Aim: To assess the seroprevalence of Transfusion-Transmissible Infections (TTIs) among blood donors in a tertiary care center in Nadiad, India. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from August 2019 to September 2022 at the blood bank of a tertiary care center in Nadiad, India. Data were collected in an Excel datasheet pertaining to all donors who were screened for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), syphilis, and malaria and analysed. The associations between categorical variables were tested using the Chi-square test. Results: A total of 6103 voluntary and replacement donors were screened, out of which 5855 (95.93%) were males and 248 (4.06%) were females. The prevalence rate was highest for syphilis 81 (1.32%), then Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) 32 (0.52%), HCV 09 (0.14%), HIV 05 (0.08%), and malaria 00 (0%) in decreasing order. Out of 6103 donors, 127 donors showed seropositivity for TTI (2.08%). The present study shows seropositivity for TTI only in male replacement donors (100%). Conclusion: Blood is still one of the main sources of transmission of infections such as HIV, HBsAg, HCV, syphilis, and malaria. The present study showed a higher prevalence of syphilis than HBsAg, HCV, HIV, and malaria, in decreasing order. The study showed seroprevalence only in male replacement donors, so efforts to motivate and ensure the active participation of voluntary blood donors, including females, are needed. Meticulous donor screening, the use of highly sensitive techniques for the detection of TTIs, and improved post-donation counseling are highly recommended to ensure the safety of blood for recipients.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B infection among blood donors in Western zone of Tanzania

BackgroundThere is limited information on burden of hepatitis B infection in the Western zone of Tanzania. In this study, we analyzed a dataset from blood donors to determine Hepatitis B virus (HBV) seroprevalence and related socio-demographic factors among blood donors in the Western regions of Tanzania. Material and methodsThis was a cross-sectional retrospective hospital-based study, in which data were retrieved from the blood donor dataset at the Zonal Blood Transfusion Center. The analyzed information from the dataset included reported Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTIs), which included Hepatitis B, donor demographics, donor status, donor type, donation place, and the year of donation. The analyzed data was retrieved within five years from January 2018 to December 2022. Rates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were determined and univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the association between infection and demographic risk factors. ResultsA total of 9604 retrospective blood donors were screened. Majority 8963 (93.3 %) were men, and most of them were under 45 years (89.6 %). Overall, HBsAg seroprevalence was 6.9 % (661), with Katavi (7.8 %) being relatively higher in the studied three regions. The highest HBsAg seroprevalence of 8.2 % (199) was found in the age group ranging from 35 to 44 years. Moreover, 2 (9.5 %) polygamists and 15 (17.1 %) car drivers had relatively high seroprevalence. Results from the multivariate analysis indicated that, car drivers (OR 5.44, 95 % CI; 2.43–12.20, p < 0.001), and first-time donors (OR 5.19, 95 % CI 2.56 = 10.52, P < 0.001), were highly associated with increased chance of getting hepatitis B infection. ConclusionThe findings from this study indicated that, there was high seroprevalence of HBV infection in the Western regions of Tanzania during the studied time period. These findings call for more advocacy on HBV immunization for all groups of persons found at high risk for HBV infection.

Seroprevalence of Transfusion-Transmissible Infections among Family Replacement Donors and Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donors During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sub Saharan Africa.

Introduction : According to WHO, regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors are the safest group of donors, as they have the lowest prevalence of blood transmitted infections. However, family/replacement blood donors is widely used in sub Saharan Africa and this practice was exacerbated during the COVID 19 pandemic. This study aimed to compare the seroprevalence of infectious markers in family replacement blood donors and voluntary non-remunerated blood donors during the COVID 19 pandemic in a country of sub Saharan Africa. &#x0D; Materials and Methods&#x0D; Blood donors received at the National Centre of Blood Transfusion (NBTC) of Dakar from August 1st to October 31th 2021, were included in this study. All donors completed a pre-donation questionnaire. Donors identity, epidemiological parameters, reasons for donation and laboratory results were collected in the Inlog® software of the NBTC. The serological tests for HBV, HIV and HCV were performed with chemiluminescence technology. The Rapid Plasma Reagent test was used to find out treponemal antibodies. The determination of ABO and Rh blood groups was performed using monoclonal antisera following classical hemagglutination test on a plate.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; A total of 5002 donors were collected during this COVID-19 pandemic period. Blood family/replacement donors represented 54.0% and new voluntary donors represented 52.6%. Comparison of HIV, HCV and syphilis markers seroprevalence showed no statistically significant difference between new voluntary donors and new family replacement donors (p&gt;0.05). However, for HBV the seroprevalence was significantly higher in new family replacement donors (p=0,002).&#x0D; Conclusion &#x0D; The proper supply of blood was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic meanwhile replacement donations had contributed to limiting the damage observed with blood shortages. However, the significant differences noted on the seroprevalences of transfusion-transmissible infections between voluntary non-paid donors and family/replacement donors strengthens WHO recommendations for the selection of volunteer non-paid donors to lower transfusion-transmissible HBV in sub Saharan Africa.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Performance of Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Rapid Screening Techniques for detection Of Transfusion Transmitted Infections among blood donors

Introduction: Blood transfusion is associated with many risks, especially exposure to a transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). Lack of effective diagnostic techniques that can identifying the infection at window period contributes to the major health problem in most developing countries. The aim of this study was to compare diagnostic performance of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and rapid screening techniques for detection of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) among blood donors Methodology: This study was conducted in the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion Services Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria from February 2021 to July 2023. A total of 3150 eligible blood donors that were screened fit for blood donation using rapid kits were subjected to ELISA screening technique. Questionnaire was used to inquire about risk factors for transfusion transmissible infection among blood donors and to sort the consent of all the blood donors before collecting their blood sample for study Result: A total of 3150 blood donors that were screened negative for TTIs (HbsAg, HCV, HIV and syphilis) by rapid test kits were recruited for the study. Out of 3150 blood donors that were re-screened for TTIs by ELISA techniques, 34 (1.08%), 50 (1.59%), 07 (0.22%) and 13 (0.41%) were sero-positive for HbsAg, HCV, HIV and syphilis respectively. In general, the percentage seroprevalence of TTIs in our study was 104/3150 (3.3%), HCV had the highest prevalence of TTIs and Blood group O Rh D positive has the highest frequency among the study population Conclusion: This study concluded that rapid test did not show any promising results when compared to ELISA. This study suggested that rapid test kits should not be recommended in transfusion center solely for screening blood donors for TTIs. There is need for combination of rapid test kits along with ELISA technique in the diagnosis of TTIs for blood donors. We advocate for legislation to make screening with ELISA mandatory for TTIs in all blood transfusion center and other health facilities in the country

MSM and blood donation: shifting to individualized risk assessment.

Deferring donors at higher risk for transfusion transmissible infections is an important part of ensuring blood safety. The deferral for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) was implemented in the 1980s in many countries, since they were identified as a high-risk group for AIDS/HIV. With the introduction of increasingly sensitive HIV antibody testing, augmented by nucleic acid testing, the window period for HIV infection-when a donor may be infectious but have negative test results-has shrunk dramatically. In Canada, this has led to progressively shorter deferral periods for gbMSM, decreasing from a permanent deferral for sex with another male since 1977 to a 5-year, 12-month, and eventually 3-month deferral period. These time-based deferrals maintained safety; however, they are seen as stigmatizing by many and still result in the deferral of sexually active gbMSM. More recently, several countries have moved to a donor screening approach based on assessing sexual risk behaviors in all donors. This article outlines research supporting changes in policy, current eligibility screening policies in several countries, and preliminary results postimplementation of new eligibility policies in Canada in September 2022.

Qualitative analysis of Canadian blood and plasma donors' views on expanding donor screening eligibility for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.

In many countries, sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) continue to be screened based on their sex or genderand the sex or gender of their sexual partner. However, there is growing support that screening based on specific sexual behaviors that pose risk of transfusion transmissible infection is a better approach to donor screening. This paper reports results from Phase 1 (qualitative) of a mixed-methods study on Canadian blood and plasma donors' views on expanding eligibility for gbMSM by changing to sexual behavior-based screening. Semistructured interview data with 40 donors (whole blood = 20, plasma = 20; male = 21, female = 18, nonbinary = 1; mean age = 46.2; 10% participation rate) in Canada were analyzed using a thematic approach. All participants, except one, supported the change as they anticipated that at least one of three outcomes would be achieved: increasing blood supply, enhancing equity, and improving or maintaining the safety of blood supply. One donor who was more skeptical of the change questioned the scientific evidence for the change and indicated mistrust of state institutions. The discussion considers implications for blood operators' communication strategies that can be used to reduce donor discomfort with the changes to donor screening. In a nonrandom, purposive sample of 40 Canadian blood and plasma donors, most participants held favorable views regarding expanding the eligibility of gbMSM donors based on sexual risk behavior. Understanding donors' views on increasing eligibility may inform Canadian Blood Services and other blood operators as they develop their communications plans.

Prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections among Blood Donors Attending the Regional Hospital Center of Franceville (Southern Gabon)

Background: Transfusion transmissible infections (TTI) constitute a worldwide threat to blood donation, especially in developing countries. Objective: To determine the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and Treponema palladium among prospective blood donors attending the Amissa Bongo Regional Hospital Center of Franceville (ABRH). Methods: CTKBiotech test strips were used to detected blood transmissible infections. Antibodies to HIV ½ (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and T.pallidium were detected using respectively OnSite HIV 1/2 Ab Plus Combo Rapid Test, the OnSite HCV Ab Plus Combo Rapid Test, the OnSite HBsAg Combo Rapid Test, the OnSite Syphilis Ab Rapid Test. Results: A total of 447 prospective blood donors attending the ABRH was included in this study. The age ranged between 18 and 50 with a median age of 30. Male and family donors made up more than 88% and 83% of the study population, respectively. HBV was the most prevalent TTI with 2.68%, follow by HIV, HCV, and Syphilis, with respectively 2.23%, 1.56%, and 0.89%.Among the examined blood transmissible pathogens, only HIV was significantly associated with unemployment. Females were 3.47, 1.3, and 2.62 times more prone to test positive to respectively HIV, HCV, T.pallidium compared to males. None of the risk factors considered in this study was significantly associated with any transfusion transmissible infection. Conclusion: The present results confirm the declined of syphilis among blood donors in Gabon. Co-infection cases reported here raises concerns as they are known to complicate the patient care.

The impact of pre-donation viral markers screening of new blood donors on blood safety.

The risk of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) remains a concern in transfusion medicine. Since the rate of infection among first-time blood donors is higher than repeated donors, strategies to enhance blood safety can focus on new donors. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of pre-donation viral screening of new donors on blood safety. The pre-donation screening of new donors was implemented in the Kurdistan blood center. In this program, new donors who met the blood donation criteria were informed about the program and only a blood sample was donated for HBs Ag, HCV Ab, and HIV Ab testing. New donors with negative results were invited to donate blood after 12weeks. A unit of blood was collected from eligible returned donors. Laboratory tests were performed again using the same methods. Finally, the prevalence of confirmed positive TTI results among donated blood in Kurdistan blood center was compared before and after the establishment of program. During the study, 4,434 new donors were screened for viral markers. A total of 41 new donors (0.92%, 95% CI, 0.007-0.13) had repeatedly reactive results and infection was confirmed in blood sample of 24 donors (0.54%, 95% CI, 0.003-0.008). Overall, 56% of new donors returned for blood donation. Prevalence of confirmed TTIs markers in collected blood units was 0.27% and 0 before and after implementing program, respectively. This study indicated that Pre-donation screening can reduce the risk of TTI transmission by identifying infected donors at the pre-donation phase.

Transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors in Ghana: A 3-year multicentered health facility-based retrospective study.

Transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) remain a major health challenge particularly in developing countries. Here, we present a multicentered hospital-based retrospective study on the prevalence, distribution, and risk factors of TTIs in Ghana. Data on blood donors from four health facilities, namely Nkwanta South Municipal Hospital (Oti region), Weija-Gbawe Municipal Hospital (Greater Accra region), SDA Hospital (Northern region) and Wa Municipal Hospital (Upper West region) were extracted and analyzed. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were applied to compare sociodemographic data with TTI status. A total of 6094 blood donors were included in this study, and 2% were females. The overall prevalence of TTIs was 21.0% (1232/5868). Specifically, the prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, and Syphilis was 6.6% (385/5868), 4.9% (286/5830), 2.9% (168/5867), and 6.8% (393/5739), respectively. Wa dominated in all the viral agents considered in this study, while the Oti region recorded the highest prevalence in T. pallidum. The odds of HBV infection was 3.1 (p = 0.008) among first-time donors, while that for HCV was 2.8 (p = 0.042). For rural dwellers, donors significantly had T. pallidum (p < 0.001; OR = 2.8), HCV (p < 0.001; OR = 2.9), and HIV (p = 0.028; OR = 1.5) infections. Generally, the recipients of transfused blood were predominantly pregnant mothers, followed by children and accident victims. This study has revealed significant disparities and relatively high prevalence of TTIs in Ghana, specifically HBV, HCV, HIV and T. pallidum infections. The variations suggest the presence of unique health challenges per study area, hence the need for a tailored intervention for each study site.

NAT yield in blood donors: An observational study.

Individual donation nucleic acid testing (ID-NAT) is considered as highly sensitive technology for viral transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) in blood donors. The present study was aimed to analyze the results of ID-NAT with special reference to different types of donors, their age, gender, blood group ranges in a tertiary care center in north India. The present study was done from 24th June 2019 to 31st December 2021 in Blood Center, Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, SMS Hospital, Jaipur. A total of 18313 apparently healthy adult donors were included in present study. In 2019 Combined NAT yield was 1 in 754, in 2020 it was 1 in 2368 and in 2021 it was 1 in 741. With Total NAT yield was 1 in 1017 (0.09 %) over a period of study. NAT yield in HBV is 1 in 1077, in HCV 1 in 18313 and no NAT Yield in HIV. NAT testing for hepatitis B provides additional safety because ELISA does not pick up occult hepatitis. The non-seroconverting or delayed seroconverting disease is missed by ELISA alone and can be picked up by NAT.

Seroprevalence of viral transfusion transmissible infections (HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, Syphilis) and coinfection among healthy volunteer blood donors during 5-years in Luanda, Angola

BackgroundThe transmission of diseases by blood products continues to be a worldwide health problem, especially in Africa. Seroprevalence rates of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Syphilis, and Coinfection in Angola are poorly documented. This study aims to identify the seroprevalence of markers with positive results for Hepatitis B, C, HIV, Syphilis, and Coinfection in blood donors. Material and methodsA retrospective study was conducted using a database of positive serological markers for these infections and coinfection in 2734 blood donors traced from 2011 to 2016 in Luanda, Angola. The Chi-Square test (χ2) or Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate serological positivity and donors’ characteristics. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results2734 blood donors aged 18 to 64 (median age 32 ± 9) were screened from 2011 to 2016. 73.9 % of the donors were positive for one Transfusion-Transmitted Infection (TTI), and 5.9 % showed evidence of multiple infections. The overall seroprevalence rate was 50.2 % (1373) for HBV, 20 % (436) for Syphilis, 7 % (191) for HIV, 5.1 % (140) for HCV, and 5.8 % for coinfected donors. 2467 (90 %) were men, and 267 (10 %) were women. We identified 118 (5.8 %) coinfected donors. Of those, 40 (33.9 %) simultaneously presented Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg)/Syphilis, 24 (20.3 %) HBsAg/HIV, 22 (18.6 %) HBsAg/HCV, 20 (16.9 %) HIV/Syphilis, 8 (6.8 %) HCV/Syphilis, and 4 (3.4 %) HIV/HCV. ConclusionA high transfusion-transmissible infection prevalence was found compared to some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, intensifying the screening for these transfusion-transmitted infections in blood donors is critical to ensure blood safety.