ROLE OF NUCLEIC ACID TESTING IN DOUBLE SCREENING OF BLOOD DONORS FOR A SAFE BLOOD TRANSFUSION

PRAGATI CHIGURUPATI¹*, MURTHY K. SRINIVAS^2
1Department of Microbiology, GSL Medical College, Rajahmundry
²Dhanavantri Blood Bank, Rajahmundry
* Corresponding Author : ch.pragatisb@gmail.com

Received : 18-09-2016     Accepted : 24-09-2016     Published : 28-09-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 10       Pages : 794 - 796
Int J Microbiol Res 8.10 (2016):794-796

Keywords : Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, Human immunodeficiency virus, Nucleic acid amplification testing, Transfusion-transmitted infection
Academic Editor : Badri Rana M
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

A total of 30 million blood components are transfused each year in India. Blood safety thus becomes a top priority, especially with a population of around 1.23 billion and a high prevalence rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in general population. Transfusion-transmitted viral infections (TTIs) continue to be a major threat to safe transfusion practices. Screening of all blood samples by highly sensitive and specific techniques will enhance the safety of blood transfusion by reducing the diagnostic window period as much as possible. Aims: The aim of this study is to show the value of NAT in blood screening. Settings and Design: Dhanavantari Blood Bank, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India. Methods: Over a period of 2 years from January 2013 to December 2014, a total number of 26,148 blood donor samples were subjected to tests for HIV, HBV, and HCV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method and 25,658 ELISA nonreactive samples were subjected for NAT using multiplex polymerase chain reaction technology. Results: Of the 26,148 donors tested, 490 were seroreactive. In 25,658 remaining ELISA negative blood samples subjected to NAT, 14 donor samples were reactive for HBV. The NAT yield was 1 in 1867. Conclusion: Based on Seroprevalence of TTI and NAT, we conclude that dual screening of all blood and blood components before transfusion by highly sensitive ELISA and NAT helps in detecting all potentially infectious blood units in all phases of infection that will increase safety in blood tranfusions and making near zero risk of post transfusion infections.