NAT positivity in seronegative voluntary blood donors from western India

Prevalence and composition of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV-1, NAT positive but seronegative voluntary blood donors from western part of India is yet to be documented.

Over last 2 1/₂ years all the seronegative voluntary blood donors were tested using 10 minipools on a semiautomated NAT testing platform. The positively tested donors were followed up for at least five months for development of seropositivity.

79532 seronegative donations were tested by 10 minipool (MP) NAT leading to 51 positive sample (44 Hep B, 5 HIV 1 and Hep C positive). All the HIV and Hep C NAT positive donors eventually developed seropositivity and out of 44 Hep B NAT positive donors, 31 developed seropositivity within six months of follow up, following counseling of the donors. This data translate into NAT yield of 1:1559 donors for all virus taken together. NAT yield for Hep B 1:1807 donors were much higher than HIV 1 in 1:15906 and HCV yield of 1:39761. Semiautomated minipool NAT testing system was found to be cost effective way for improving blood safety.

Seronegative NAT yield in voluntary blood donors are quiet high in western part of India and in line with rest of the country is mainly due to Hepatitis B infection. Implementation of strict donor screening, Hep B vaccination of the population and sample mutation of NAT testing should be under taken on war footing.