NAT yield in blood donors: An observational study

Area of Science:

• Transfusion Medicine
• Virology
• Public Health

Background:

• Individual donation nucleic acid testing (ID-NAT) is a highly sensitive method for detecting viral transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs).
• Traditional screening methods like ELISA may miss infections in non-seroconverting or delayed seroconverting donors.
• Enhancing blood safety through advanced screening technologies is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the results of ID-NAT in a tertiary care center in North India.
• To evaluate the yield of ID-NAT across different donor demographics, including age, gender, and blood group.
• To assess the effectiveness of ID-NAT in identifying viral infections missed by conventional screening.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of ID-NAT results was conducted.
• Data from 18,313 apparently healthy adult blood donors were collected between June 2019 and December 2021.
• Donors were tested using ID-NAT, and results were analyzed based on year, viral markers, and donor characteristics.

Main Results:

• The overall NAT yield was 1 in 1017 (0.09%).
• Specific NAT yields were: HBV 1 in 1077, HCV 1 in 18313, and no HIV yield.
• NAT yield varied annually, with rates of 1 in 754 (2019), 1 in 2368 (2020), and 1 in 741 (2021).

Conclusions:

• ID-NAT significantly enhances blood safety by detecting infections missed by ELISA, particularly occult hepatitis B.
• The study highlights the importance of ID-NAT in identifying non-seroconverting or delayed seroconverting infections.
• Implementing ID-NAT is essential for a comprehensive strategy to prevent transfusion-transmitted viral infections.