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Screening for HIV seropositive blood - a critical evaluation
A Verma1, J Pandey, S K Khurana
1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Blood Transfusion, Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi.
Indian Journal of Pathology & Microbiology
|April 1, 1995
Summary
Blood donation screening in India faces challenges due to inconsistent testing practices. Changes in laboratories, staff, and kits increase false positives, wasting valuable donated blood and impacting transfusion safety.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Transfusion Medicine
- Clinical Laboratory Science
Background:
- Mandatory human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening of donated blood is a critical public health measure in India.
- Existing screening programs exhibit inherent limitations, including arbitrary center selection, lack of quality control, and undefined guidelines for test kit selection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of variations in testing environments on the accuracy of blood screening.
- To assess how changes in testing laboratory, personnel, reagent kits, and donation timing influence test outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of all blood donations at Safdarjang Hospital Blood Bank during 1993.
- Utilized Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) positivity as indicators for donor population similarity.
- Compared test results across three different laboratories.
Main Results:
- Variations in testing laboratories, reagent kits, and staff expertise significantly affected test results.
- Observed an increase in false-positive test results attributed to these inconsistencies.
- Inconsistent screening practices lead to the unnecessary discarding of safe, donated blood.
Conclusions:
- Standardization of blood screening protocols is essential for accurate and reliable results.
- Implementing a robust policy plan is crucial to enhance the effectiveness of blood screening and minimize wastage.
- Ensuring consistent laboratory practices and quality control is vital for transfusion safety.