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Introduction:

Deferrals lead to loss of precious whole blood donors (WBD) and blood units available for transfusion purposes. Knowledge of rate and causes of donor deferral can guide the recruitment strategy for WBD.

Aim:

To find the incidence and causes of deferral in Indian WBD and apply relevant findings to modify recruitment strategy for blood donors.

Materials and Methods:

Data for WBD presenting for donation in a blood center and outdoor camps over one and half year were analyzed retrospectively. National guidelines were used for selection and deferral of WBD.

Result:

736 (11.6%) WBD were deferred out of 6357 presenting for donation during the study period. Most (69.8%) of the donors were deferred on physical examination and hemoglobin (Hb) testing. Most common reasons for deferral were low Hb (55.8%), abnormal blood pressure (11.1%), medication (6.9%) and underweight donors (2.9%). Significantly more volunteers were deferred than relative donors (13.97% vs 5.80%; P<0.000). Females were found to have higher deferral rate than males (53.5% vs 6.9%; P=0.000) and higher odds ratio for deferral (15.4). Donors older than 40 years of age had significantly higher chance of being deferred (P<0.05).

Discussion and Conclusion:

It is important to determine the rate and causes of WBD deferral to guide the recruitment and retention efforts at local, regional, and national level.

Objectives:

To study the main causes of predonation deferral of potentially healthy prospective blood donors in a University Hospital Blood Bank unit, and to make recommendations accordingly.

Methods:

A retrospective review of the main causes of predonation deferral of blood donors in King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU) Al-Khobar, was carried out. Records of all predonation deferrals from 1st January 1996 to 31st December 2003 were reviewed and analyzed.

Results:

A total of 33,900 potential blood donors came to donate blood during the study period. A total of 6508 donors (19.2%) were deferred for various reasons. Analysis of the causes of deferral showed the following as the most common reasons in rank order: (1) recent ingestion or taking of counter-indicative medications; (2) low hematocrit level; (3) underweight; (4) abnormally high pulse rate; (5) low blood pressure; (6) temperature above 37.5°C; (7) High blood pressure; (8) presenting for donation too soon i.e. less than 8 weeks after the previous one; (9) age below or above the accepted limit; (10) a previous serological positive result; (11) general appearance; (12) abnormally low pulse rate.

Conclusion and Recommendations:

It is important to provide donors with a clear message on their deferral status. Increased public education about blood donation and the common causes of donor deferral may lower deferral rates and prevent a negative impact on the donor himself as well as on subsequent blood donations. Public education is needed also to help recruit as many volunteer donors as possible.

Background:

The minimum hemoglobin cutoff for blood donation in India is 12.5 gm% for both male and female donors and the minimum donation interval is 3 months. Donation of one unit of blood results in decrease in hemoglobin by 1 gm% and loss of 200–250 mg of iron. Donor deferral due to anemia is one of the major reasons of temporary rejection of blood donors. In the absence of further workup or advise, it results in loss of valuable donor base.

Aim and Objective:

To provide baseline information regarding the prevalence and spectrum of anemia in prospective blood donors to help plan a future strategy for donor management.

Materials and Methods:

Hemoglobin testing of donors was performed using Hemocue and Copper sulfate specific gravity method. Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid sample of all the donors who failed either or both the screening tests was tested on automated analyzer for evaluation of hemoglobin and red blood cell indices.

Results:

Of all the donors, 15.5% were deferred due to anemia. Prevalence of anemia in prospective blood donors was 1.8%. It was significantly higher in female donors compared with male donors (34.2% vs 1.2%). The most common type of anemia was normocytic normochromic.

Background

The consequences of temporary pre-donation donor deferrals are unsatisfactorily understood. Previous studies have found that deferral negatively impacts future return for donation in both first time and repeat donors. However, the applicability of these findings across centers has not been established.

Methods

Using a cohort design, presenting donors with a temporary deferral in the years 2006 – 2008 in 1 of 6 categories (low hematocrit, blood pressure or pulse, feeling unwell, malaria travel, tattoos/piercing and related exposures, or couldn’t wait/second thoughts) were passively followed for up to a 3-year period for the time to first return after the expiration of the deferral at 6 US blood centers. Time-to-event methods were used to assess return following the receipt of each deferral. We also analyzed which donor characteristics are associated with return following temporary deferral using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Of 3.9 million donor presentations, 505,623 resulted in deferral in 1 of the 6 categories. Low hematocrit was the most common deferral, had the shortest median time to return, and largest cumulative number of donors returning. Deferrals of shorter duration had better return. Longer term deferrals (up to 1-year in length) had the lowest cumulative return which did not exceed 50% during the study period for malaria travel or tattoo/piercing and related exposures. In multivariable logistic regression modeling, return following deferral was associated with previously identified factors such as repeat donor status, older age, and higher educational attainment regardless of the type of deferral. In addition, return was associated with having been born in the USA, Asian race/ethnicity, and donation at fixed sites regardless of the type of deferral.

Conclusion

The category of temporary deferral influences the likelihood of future return, but the demographic and donation factors associated with return are consistent regardless of the deferral.

Objective:

The objective was to determine the basic hematological parameters of remunerated blood donors in Benin City and to compare them with those of voluntary donors.

Materials and Methods:

This is a prospective study conducted in a tertiary health facility in Benin City. Pretransfusion samples were obtained from blood bags after gentle mixing and analyzed for hematological parameters. Samples were analyzed using the hematology autoanalyzer MODEL SYSMEX KN21.

Result:

A total of 215 samples were obtained comprising 160 remunerated (paid) and 55 voluntary donor samples. In the paid donors, the mean hemoglobin concentration (Hb) and hematocrit (HCT) 7.7±2.9 and 28.8±8.5 respectively. This was significantly lower than those of voluntary donors who had 13.9±1.2 and 42.2±3.3 with P < 0.001. The mean values of the red cell counts (RBC), white cell counts (WBC), mean cell volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were significantly lower in paid donors as P-values were < 0.001. MCV was significantly low but not compared to the other parameters as P=0.04. There was no significant difference in the platelet count.

Conclusion:

Paid donors in Benin City have significantly lower hematological parameters than controls.

BACKGROUND

Deferral for travel to malaria-endemic areas excludes many blood donors in the United States. Most transfusion-transmitted malaria is associated with lengthy residence in malaria-endemic areas rather than routine travel. This study compares the impact of existing deferral requirements to the risk that a presenting donor with malaria travel history harbors malaria parasites under current and hypothetical alternate regulations.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Deferred donors from six blood centers were sampled to estimate a national cohort of donors deferred annually for malaria travel to different geographic regions. Risk for malaria infection following travel to each region, and distribution of incubation periods for each malaria species were estimated for U.S. travelers. Region-specific travel risks were used to estimate the risk that a presenting blood donor with malaria travel might asymptomatically harbor malaria parasites at different intervals following return to the United States.

RESULTS

Travel to Africa presents risk for malaria infection >1000 times that of travel to malaria-endemic parts of Mexico, yet Mexico accounts for >10 times as many deferred donors. Shortening the deferral period from 12 to 3 months for travelers to Mexico increases the risk of collecting a contaminated unit by only 1 unit per 57 years (sensitivity analysis, 1 every 29 - 114 years), at annual gain of >56,000 donations.

CONCLUSION

This study provides the first systematic appraisal of the U.S. requirements for donor qualification regarding travel to malarial areas. Consideration should be given to relaxing the guidelines for travel to very low-risk areas such as Mexico.

Background:

It is well known that quite a large number of apparently healthy donors are not able to donate blood successfully because of varied reasons.

Aim:

We want to analyze the rate and various reasons for deferrals.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective analysis of records of the donors, for 3 years, from January 2005 to December 2007 was done, in order to find out the rate and causes of deferral in four categories of age groups, both in male and female, in our Transfusion Medicine Centre, Bangalore, India.

Result:

There were 16,706 donors, of which 976 donors were deferred (5.84%) for various reasons. Of the 16,706 donors registered for donation, females constituted only 11.27%. And deferral rate was about five times more for female (19.85%) compared to male (4.06%). The three most common reasons for deferral in female were low hemoglobin levels, low body weight, and hypotension. The deferral rate was higher in the age group of 18-25 years and most common cause was low hemoglobin level. In male, the three most common reasons for deferral were hypertension, under weight, and low hemoglobin levels. The deferral rate varied from 4 to 15% as reported in the literature. The most common cause of deferral in our study and in several studies available in the literature is the same.

BACKGROUND

Syphilis screening of blood donors is a common practice worldwide, but very little is known about the meaning of a positive serologic test for syphilis in blood donors and the risk profile of these donors. The aim of this study was to determine the demographic characteristics and risk behaviors of blood donors with recent and past syphilis and their implications for blood bank testing and deferral strategies.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Demographic characteristics, category of donation, number of previous donations, sexual behavior, and history of sexually transmitted diseases were reviewed comparing blood donors with recent and past syphilis from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2003.

RESULTS

A total of 2439 interviews were reviewed, including 2161 (88.6%) donors with past and 278 (11.4%) with recent syphilis infection. Factors associated with recent infection included younger age (≤20 years odds ratio [OR], 36.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 15.8–84.1), two previous donations (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.9–3.9), male-male sex (homosexual OR, 8.2; 95% CI, 3.2–20.8; and bisexual OR, 11.4; 95% CI, 3.6–36.3), two or more partners in the past 12 months (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3–4.0), symptoms for syphilis (OR, 4.5; 95% CI, 2.8–7.1), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity (OR, 39.6; 95% CI, 4.6–339.8). Community donors were also associated with recent syphilis infection (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2–1.9) compared to replacement donors.

CONCLUSION

Sexual history, including male-male sex and multiple partners, were strongly associated with recent syphilis infection, which in turn was strongly associated with HIV. Continuous and vigilant surveillance that includes assessing sexual history and other factors associated with syphilis are needed to guide blood safety policies.

BACKGROUND

Approximately 10% of attempted blood donations are not allowed because of low hemoglobin deferral.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Low hemoglobin deferrals were tracked in over 715,000 whole blood donors at six blood centers across the United States. A multivariable logistic regression model was developed to comprehensively assess demographic correlates for low hemoglobin deferral.

RESULTS

Demographic factors significantly associated with low hemoglobin deferral include female gender (11 times greater odds than males), increasing age in men (men over 80 have 29 times greater odds than men under 20); African American race (2–2.5 times greater odds than Caucasians); Hispanic ethnicity in women (1.29 times greater odds than Caucasian women) and weight in men (men under 124 pounds have 2.5 times greater odds than men over 200 pounds). Interestingly, increasing donation frequency is associated with decreased odds for low hemoglobin deferral (women with 1 donation in the previous 12 months have 2 times greater odds than those with 6 donations).

CONCLUSIONS

Low hemoglobin deferral is associated with female gender, older age, African-American race/ethnicity and lower body weight in men. An inverse association with donation frequency suggests a selection bias in favor of donors able to give more frequently. These data provide useful information that can be utilized to manage blood donors in order to limit low hemoglobin deferrals and assist in policy decisions such as changing the hemoglobin cut-off or permissible frequency of donation. They also generate hypotheses for new research of the causes of anemia in defined groups of donors.

Background:

Deferring blood donors who admit to high-risk behavior on questioning are likely to eliminate those in window period for transfusion transmitted infections (TTI). However, many questions have been implemented in some countries as part of donor history questionnaire, based on precautionary principle and not on evidence, and can result in increased donor losses. This study aims to identify effective risk-directed questions having high predictive value, in local context which can form part of blood donor deferral policies. For this, a case control study in a hospital blood bank having donation services was carried out prospectively over a period of three years.

Materials and Methods:

Two hundred and twenty donors, who were repeatedly reactive for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV with EIA, and syphilis with TPHA, were the cases. Eight hundred and eighty four controls were the donors who tested negative for all TTI test. All donors answered seven hepatitis risk directed questions and their responses and reactivity status for TTI were used for statistical analysis with SPSS ver. 15.

Results:

Positive predictive value for history of jaundice at any age for HBsAg was 20%, while PPV for history of surgery in previous six months for both HBsAg and anti-HCVHCV was also around 20%, based on pretest probability of 7%. The post-test probability for these questions was around 30%. Odds ratios with 95% CI did not reveal any significant association of hepatitis with any of seven questions. Donor losses after deferring on basis of two questions were 5.3% per year, while deferral rate after all seven questions was 20%.

Conclusions:

Donors should be permanently deferred if there is history of jaundice at any age, while deferral period after surgery should be one year. Other risk-directed questions should not be used to defer donors. Donor deferral policies should be evidence based and questions with proven efficacy should be made part of donor history questionnaire to minimize donor losses.

Background

The reasons why deferral from blood donation reduces the likelihood of future return remain unclear. This aim of this study was to investigate possible reasons why deferral has such a dramatic impact on donation patterns.

Methods

Qualitative methods were used to explore donors’ motivations to give blood, their experiences of temporary deferral, and their intentions to return once eligible. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 donors in the two weeks following a temporary deferral due to a low haemoglobin concentration. The Framework approach was used to analyse data and identify themes associated with prompt return, ascertained from Blood Service records.

Results

We found that, predominantly, individuals give blood because it represents an easy and convenient way to help others, and provides personal rewards, such as enhancing positive self-concepts and valuable knowledge about health. Deferral disrupts the habit of regular donation, and additionally, introduces an element of practical and emotional hassle to what is generally seen as an undemanding activity. Return after deferral was related to four aspects of a person and their context: an individual’s other obligations, especially parenting; whether donation arrangements were facilitated by a range of supports; the presence of a strong “blood donor” identity; and whether deferral left the donor feeling valued and appreciated.

Conclusions

Aspects of the deferral process need to be improved to ensure individuals feel valued, and continued attention should be given to the convenience of donation, especially for those with competing obligations.

Background.

Current European regulations require a deferral period of 6 months or 3 years, depending on the risk of exposure, for prospective blood donors at risk of malaria. This period may be reduced to 4 months if an immunological or molecular genomic test is negative at each donation, but Italian regulations have not adopted this provision. As cases of transfusion-transmitted malaria have been recorded in medical literature in blood donors deferred for 3 years and not tested, the Immunohaematology and Transfusion Centre of the Ca’ Grande Polyclinic Hospital in Milan decided to introduce immunological testing for all donors at risk of malaria.

Materials and methods.

Four hundred and twelve blood donors at risk of malaria, who had lived in a malarial area during the first 5 years of life or for more than 6 consecutive months, were tested for malarial antibodies using an enzyme immunoassay kit. The kit (Malaria EIA, Newmarket, UK) uses four recombinant antigens specific for P. falciparum and P. vivax and with cross-reactivity for P. ovale and P. malariae. The kit detects total immunoglobulin antibodies against P. falciparum and P. vivax and shows 80% cross-reactivity with P. ovale and 67% with P. malariae. Antibody-positive samples were further checked by an immunochromatographic test for P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae antigens and by haemoscopy (thin film and thick smear).

Results.

Italian citizens accounted for 16.8% (69/412) of the whole group of donors examined. We found that 8.7% of the donors who were classified as being at risk of malaria were positive for total immunoglobulin antibodies. Only one Italian citizen resulted positive for the test. The positive candidates were deferred from blood donation. None of the antibody-positive donors was confirmed positive by the immunochromatographic test and by haemoscopy.

Conclusion.

The introduction of a malarial screening test in the assessment of blood donor eligibility may increase the safety of blood donations, but could further reduce blood availability. If immunological testing were to be accepted nationally as a valid method of assessing the risk of malaria, more than 90% of the donors who are currently deferred for 3 years could be accepted 4 months after their last visit to an endemic area, thus increasing the availability of blood

Objective:

Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia and one of the main factors in the clinical deferral of blood donors. This fact prompted the current study that aimed to determine the prevalence and etiology of anemia in blood donor candidates and to evaluate the hematological screening technique used for the exclusion of these donors.

Methods:

This was a prospective study that compared two groups (Anemic and Non-anemic). Initially screening for anemia was performed by manually measuring hemoglobin (Bioclin® Kit); the results were subsequently compared with an automated screening method (Coulter T-890). The etiology was investigated by hemoglobin electrophoresis in alkaline and acid pH, Hb A2 dosage and measurement of the ferritin concentration by immunoagglutination. Differences and associations of interest were analyzed using the Yates and McNemar's Chi-square tests and the Fisher, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

Results:

The deferral rate due to anemia was 4.2%; iron deficiency was identified in 37.5% and beta thalassemia in 9.3% of the excluded candidates. There was a significant discrepancy between the two techniques used to measure hemoglobin with 38.1% of initially deferred donors presenting normal hemoglobin levels by the automated method.

Conclusion:

The results show a high rate of blood donors being deferred for anemia and confirm that iron deficiency is the most prevalent cause. The discrepancies found by comparing screening methods suggest that hemoglobin and hematocrit levels should be confirmed before deferring a donor due to anemia; this may increase supplies in blood banks.

Background

Studies have shown that HIV residual risk is higher in Brazilian than in US and European blood donors; probably due to failure to defer at risk individuals in Brazil. This study assessed the impact of an educational brochure in enhancing blood donor's knowledge about screening test window phase and reducing at risk individuals from donating.

Study design and Methods

This trial compared an educational intervention with blood center's usual practice. The brochure was distributed in alternating months to all donors. After donating, sampled participants completed 2 questions about their HIV window period knowledge. The impact on HIV risk deferral, leaving without donation, CUE use and test positivity was also analysed.

Results

From August-November 2007 we evaluated 33,940 donations in the main collection center of FPS/HSP at Sao Paulo, Brazil. A significant (p <.001) pamphlet effect was found on correct responses to both questions assessing HIV window phase knowledge (68.1% vs. 52.9%) and transfusion risk (91.1% vs. 87.2%). After adjusting for gender and age, the pamphlet effect was strongest for people with more than eight years of education. There was no significant pamphlet effect on HIV risk deferral rate, leaving without donation, use of CUE, or infectious disease rates.

Conclusion

While the educational pamphlet increased window period knowledge, contrary to expectations this information alone was not enough to make donors self-defer or acknowledge their behavioral risk.

Summary

Background

Blood products derived from donors on medication can contain drugs which might pose a risk for the recipients or influence the quality of the product itself.

Material and Methods

To judge the eligibility of blood donors on medication, 4 drug classes have been formed with respect to their pharmacological properties, and blood products have been divided in accordance with their single-donor plasma contents.

Results

For drugs with dose-dependent pharmacodynamics, no deferral periods are necessary for donation of blood products containing less than 50 ml single-donor plasma for application to adults. Waiting periods of tmax + 5 t1/2 were calculated for the other blood products. Teratogenic drugs do not require special considerations (exception: retinoids, thalidomide and lenalidomide, dutasteride or finasteride with waiting periods for all blood products). A deferral period of tmax + 24 t1/2 is proposed for every blood product from blood donors on genotoxic drugs. Drugs without systemic effects can be neglected. Irreversible inhibitors of platelet function cause a 10-day waiting period if production of platelet concentrates is intended.

Conclusion

Donors on medication are allowed to donate blood for blood products containing less than 50 ml plasma of a single donor, like red blood cell concentrates, for the use in adults without deferral periods, except those taking retinoids, thalidomide, lenalidomide, dutasteride, finasteride, or genotoxic drugs.

Background

Self-administered computer-assisted blood donor screening strategies may elicit more accurate responses and improve the screening process.

Methods

Randomized crossover trial comparing responses to questions on a computerized hand-held tool (HealthQuiz, or HQ), to responses on the standard written instrument (Donor Health Assessment Questionnaire, or DHAQ). Randomly selected donors at 133 blood donation clinics in the area of Hamilton, Canada participated from 1995 to 1996. Donors were randomized to complete either the HQ or the DHAQ first, followed by the other instrument. In addition to responses of 'yes' and 'no' on both questionnaires, the HQ provided a response option of 'not sure'. The primary outcome was the number of additional donors deferred by the HQ.

Results

A total of 1239 donors participated. Seventy-one potential donors were deferred as a result of responses to the questionnaires; 56.3% (40/71) were deferred by the DHAQ, and an additional 43.7% (31/71) were deferred due to risks identified by the HQ but not by the DHAQ. Fourteen donors self-deferred; 11 indicated on the HQ that they should not donate blood on that day but did not use the confidential self-exclusion option on the DHAQ, and three used the self-exclusion option on the DHAQ but did not indicate that they should not donate blood on the HQ. The HQ identified a blood contact or risk factor for HIV/AIDS or sexually transmitted infection that was not identified by the DHAQ in 0.1% to 2.7% of donors.

Conclusion

A self-administered computerized questionnaire may increase risk reporting by blood donors.

Background

The implementation of a new national German blood donor questionnaire was proposed to improve donor and recipient safety.

Methods

We compared deferral/exclusion rates of whole blood donors before (May 2010, n = 64,735) and after (May 2011, n = 71,687) the implementation of a new blood donor questionnaire. Considering seasonal variations, analysis was performed with respect to collection site (mobile vs. fixed), sex, donor status (first-time vs. repeat), age, and the frequencies of sexual risk behavior and other reasons for deferral.

Results

We observed a statistically significant increase (p < 0.001) of the overall deferral/exclusion rate from 6.2 to 8.1%, irrespective of type of collection site (fixed: from 6.0 to 8.5%; mobile: from 6.2 to 8.0%), sex (females: from 7.5 to 9.9%; males: from 5.1 to 6.6%), donor status (first-time donors: from 19.7 to 24.7%; repeat donors: from 4.6 to 6.3%) or age (18–29 years: from 9.1 to 11.7%; 60–71 years: from 5.1 to 6.6%). Confidential self-exclusion increased from 0.08 to 0.14% (p < 0.001). Besides risk behavior, various medical reasons could be identified that explain this increase.

Conclusions

The new blood donor questionnaire resulted in an increased deferral/exclusion of all donor groups. Thus the impact on future blood supply must be considered carefully, and long-term studies and investigation of donor acceptance will be needed.

Purpose:The aim of this study was to compare the reliability of the methods conventionally used to identify low levels of blood contamination in human follicular fluid (hFF) as applicable in the clinical environment.

Methods:Follicular fluid (n=339) and plasma samples (n=20) were collected from patients (n=138) attending the Centre for Fertility Studies, HF Verwoerd Hospital, University of Pretoria, South Africa. hFF blood contamination was assessed by means of (a) visual inspection, (b) hematocrit (Hct), (c) spectrophotometric analysis, (d) spectrophotometric hemoglobin kit, and (e) Combur-9-test urine sticks.

Results:(1) Neither hematocrit nor spectrophotometry provided reliable detection at low levels of blood contamination. (2) Visual inspection presented with a better discriminatory ability than either Hct or spectrophotometry. (3) Combur-9-test sticks identified up to 50% of blood-contaminated fluids. (4) Spectrophotometrically determined hemoglobin levels presented with weak discriminatory abilities for detecting blood-contaminated fluids.

Conclusions:Visual inspection as performed in this study provides a fast and relatively reliable method for the determination of blood-contaminated hFFs. In a laboratory environment, however, it would be recommended that a combination of visual inspection, Hct, and spectrophotometric evaluation be employed for the selection of blood-free fluids.

The National Blood Policy in India relies heavily on voluntary blood donors, as they are usually assumed to be associated with low levels of transfusion‐transmitted infections (TTIs). In India, it is mandatory to test every unit of blood collected for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, syphilis and malaria. Donors come to the blood bank with altruistic intentions. If donors test positive to any of the five infections, their blood is discarded. Although the blood policy advocates disclosure of TTI status, donors are not, in practice, informed about their results. The onus is on the donor to contact the blood bank. Out of approximately 16 000 donations in the past 2 years, 438 tested positive for TTI, including 107 for HIV. Only 20% of the donors contacted the blood bank; none of them were HIV positive. Disclosure by blood banks of TTI status by telephone or mail has resulted in serious consequences for some donors. Health providers face an ethical dilemma, in the absence of proper mechanisms in place for disclosure of test results, regarding notification to donors who may test positive but remain ignorant of their TTI status. Given the high cost of neglecting to notify infected donors, the authors strongly recommend the use of rapid tests before collecting blood, instead of the current practice, which takes 3 h to obtain results, and disclosure of results directly to the donor by a counsellor, to avoid dropouts and to ensure confidentiality.

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Background

The World Health Organization recommends universal and quality-controlled screening of blood donations for the major transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs): human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis. The study objectives were to determine the seroprevalence of these TTIs among blood donors at the Provincial Hospital of Tete, Mozambique, and to assess the local pre-donation screening performance.

Methods

All consenting voluntary and replacement candidate blood donors were consecutively included from February to May 2009. Sera of all candidates, independent of deferral by questionnaire, were submitted to screening with quality-assured rapid or simple assays for HIV, HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), HCV and syphilis. Assays locally used by the blood bank for HBV and syphilis screening were run in parallel to quality-assured external assays supplied during the study, and all discordant samples were submitted to confirmation testing in reference laboratories in Mozambique and Belgium.

Results

Of 750 consenting candidates (50.5% of voluntary donors), 71 (9.5%) were deferred by the questionnaire, including 38 specifically because of risk behavior for TTI. Of the 679 non-deferred candidates, 127 (18.7%) had serological confirmation of at least one TTI, with a lower prevalence in voluntary than in replacement donors (15.2% versus 22.4%, p = 0.016). Seroprevalence of HIV, HBsAg and syphilis infections was 8.5%, 10.6 % and 1.2%. No confirmed HCV infection was found. Seroprevalence of TTIs was similar in the 38 candidates deferred for TTI risk as in the non-deferred group, except for HBsAg (26.3 % versus 10.6 %; p = 0.005). The local assays used for HBV and syphilis had sensitivities of 98.4% and 100% and specificities of 80.4% and 98.8% respectively. This resulted in the rejection of 110 of the 679 blood donations (16.2%) because of false positive results.

Conclusions

The seroprevalence of TTIs after questionnaire screening is high in Tete, Mozambique, but HCV infection does not appear as a major issue. The questionnaire did not exclude effectively HIV-infected donor candidates, while the locally used assays led to unnecessary rejection of many safe donations. A contextualized questionnaire and consistent use of quality-assured assays would considerably improve the current screening procedure for blood donation.

Background

A blood transfusion is a life-saving procedure in many instances. An adequate supply of safe blood is ensured by exercising donor deferral criteria and screening for Transfusion Transmitted Infections (TTI). The aim of this paper is to study the profile of blood donors and reasons for donor deferral in coastal South India.

Method

The study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Mangalore. All those who donated between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2008 were included in the study. Data was collected using a pre-tested semi-structured proforma and analysed using SPSS version 11.5.

Results

Most of the donors were under the age of 25 (42.92%).

Donors were predominantly male (95.20%). In terms of occupation, most subjects were students (28.01%) followed by businessmen (18.61%). Slightly more than three-quarters of the donors (77.20%) were replacement donors. The main reasons for deferral were consumption of medication in the past 72 hours (15.15%), hypertension (13.18%), a low haemoglobin level (12.34%) and alcohol intake in the past 72 hours (12.20%). Among the TTIs identified, most samples were positive for Hepatitis B surface Antigen – HBsAg (0.87%) or tested positive for Anti-Hepatitis C (HCV antibodies (0.36%).

Conclusion

From the study it was concluded that the majority of the donor population was young and educated. The reason for donation was mainly replacement rather than voluntary. This issue needs to be addressed by exercising proactive measures to increase the number of voluntary, nonremunerated, low-risk donors.

Materials and Methods:

The study was performed on prospective donors who reported to the Department of Transfusion Medicine. Individuals deferred due to hypertension contributed the study population. They were compared with age and sex matched donor controls. Demographic details were recorded in a proforma. On identification of a hypertensive individual, consequent two comparable donors were taken as controls with a total of 50 hypertensive subjects. Hypertensive status of the subjects were assessed based on the criteria formulated by the WHO-ISH and US Seventh Joint National Committee report on prevention, detection, evaluation and treatment of high blood pressure.

Results:

About 0.95% of healthy blood donors had undetected hypertension. Mean age at detection of hypertension in the study group was 35.44 ± 7.69 years. Higher BMI was observed in the hypertensive group compared to normotensive control group with P value significant at 0.0001.

Conclusion:

About 1% of healthy individuals were found to have undetected hypertension. Though the study was not designed to determine the prevalence of hypertension in the region, it is a rough estimate of the proportion of undetected hypertension in the local population as donors are considered as representative of healthy population.

Background:

Voluntary non-remunerated repeat blood donors are perceived to be safer than the first time blood donors. This study was planned for follow-up of previous hepatitis C virus (HCV) test results of anti-HCV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reactive repeat blood donors. The aim was to suggest a protocol for re-entry of the blood donors who are confirmed HCV negative by nucleic acid test (NAT) and recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). A group of repeat voluntary donors were followed retrospectively who became reactive on a cross sectional study and showed HCV reactivity while donating blood regularly.

Material and Methods:

A total of 51,023 voluntary non remunerated blood donors were screened for anti-HCV ELISA routinely. If anybody showed positivity, they were tested by two ELISA kits (screening and confirmatory) and then confirmed infection status by NAT and or RIBA. The previous HCV test results of repeat donors reactive by anti-HCV ELISA were looked back from the records. Data of donors who were repeat reactive with single ELISA kit (in the present study) were analyzed separately from those reactive with two ELISA kits (in the present study).

Results:

In this study, 140 (0.27%) donors who were reactive by anti HCV ELISA were included. Out of them, 35 were repeat voluntary donors and 16 (11.43%) were reactive with single ELISA kit. All 16 donors were reactive by single ELISA kit occasionally in previous donations. Their present ELISA positive donations were negative for HCV NAT and RIBA. A total of 19 (13.57%) donors were reactive with two ELISA kits. In their previous donations, the donors who were reactive even once with two ELISA kits were consistently reactive by the same two ELISA kits in their next donations also.

Conclusion:

Donor sample reactive by only single ELISA kit may not be considered as infectious for disposal as they were negative by NAT and or RIBA. One time ELISA positivity was found probably due to ELISA kit specificity and sensitivity. Donors reactive with two ELISA kit should be discarded as there is a high positivity with NAT/ RIBA. However, donors reactive by two ELISA kits and negative by NAT and RIBA should be followed up and may not be deferred permanently.