Background

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.

Methods and materials

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 12 weeks. 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.

Results

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.

Conclusions

This study indicated that Pre-donation screening can reduce the risk of TTI transmission by identifying infected donors at the pre-donation phase.

中文翻译：

---

新献血者献血前病毒标志物筛查对血液安全的影响

背景

输血传播感染（TTI）的风险仍然是输血医学关注的一个问题。由于首次献血者的感染率高于重复献血者，因此增强血液安全的策略可以集中于新献血者。该研究的目的是调查新献血者献血前病毒筛查对血液安全的影响。

方法和材料

库尔德斯坦血液中心对新捐献者进行了捐献前筛查。在该计划中，符合献血标准的新献血者被告知该计划，并且仅捐献血液样本用于 HBs Ag、HCV Ab 和 HIV Ab 检测。12 周后，结果呈阴性的新献血者被邀请献血。从合格的回国捐献者身上采集了一个单位的血液。使用相同的方法再次进行实验室测试。

最后，比较了项目建立前后库尔德斯坦血液中心捐献血液中确认 TTI 结果阳性的发生率。

结果

研究期间，对 4,434 名新捐赠者进行了病毒标记筛查。共有 41 名新捐献者（0.92%，95% CI，0.007-0.13）出现反复反应结果，24 名捐献者（0.54%，95% CI，0.003-0.008）的血液样本证实感染。总体而言，56% 的新献血者返回献血。

实施计划之前和之后，采集的血液单位中确认的 TTI 标记物的患病率分别为 0.27% 和 0。

结论

这项研究表明，捐献前筛查可以通过在捐献前阶段识别受感染的捐献者来降低 TTI 传播的风险。