[Significance of HBsAg in screening donors]

One thousand and two hundred samples of donor blood, negative for HBsAg by RPHA, were retested by ELISA and 29 samples were found to be positive for HBsAg. Of 29 HBsAg positive donors, all were negative for IgM-anti HBc, 11 were positive for HBeAg (37.93%), 6 were positive for anti-HBe (20.69%), 10 were positive for HBVDNA (34.48%). Of 29 HBsAg positive samples, the high titers (greater than or equal to 1:500) samples accounted for 17.25 per cent of the total. It was suggested that RPHA should be replaced by ELISA or RIA in screening blood donors for HBsAg and quality control of laboratories for screening blood donors should be made by increasing technical competence of technicians.