Evaluation of ELISA Test Results of the Changing Blood Donor Profile in Istanbul, Single Center Experience (2020 -...

Ensuring a safe blood supply is a critical responsibility of transfusion services. In Türkiye, demographic shifts, including a growing number of immigrant donors, have necessitated ongoing evaluation of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) and screening protocols to analyze the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis among blood donors and to evaluate demographic trends and false-positive rates in serological screening.

This retrospective study analyzed ELISA screening results from 110,419 blood donations collected be-tween 2020 and 2024 at a regional blood center in Türkiye. Demographic data, seroprevalence of TTIs, confirmatory testing outcomes, and changes over time were examined.

Most donors were male (89.4%) and Turkish citizens (95.8%), with a mean age of 34.5 years. HBV reactivity was observed in 0.4% of donors, significantly higher among Turkish nationals and older individuals (p < 0.05). HCV and HIV reactivity were each detected in 0.2% of donors, while syphilis antibodies were found in 0.2%. Foreign donors, particularly women, exhibited higher reactivity for HBV and HCV. Co-infections were identified in a subset of donors (2.9% of syphilis-positive cases). False-positive rates were notably high for anti-HCV (85.6%) and anti-HIV (80.2%), with HBsAg showing the lowest (4.6%).

The evolving donor profile and increasing false-positive rates highlight the need for more specific screening assays and revised donor management strategies. Continuous surveillance and multicenter studies are essential to maintain transfusion safety in an increasingly diverse population.