Notification and follow-up of blood donors reactive for transfusion-transmitted infections: A narrative review of the literature from India.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Notifying blood donors of their reactive status for transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) plays a vital role in enabling early diagnosis and management while also preventing these donors from making future donation and transmission of the infectious agent. Given the limited data on donor notification processes in India, a narrative review was conducted to assess the existing notification process and identify areas requiring enhancement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted literature searches using PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus, employing various keywords. The review included data on the year of the study, study design, donor numbers, TTI screening methods, sero-reactive donor confirmation, notification frequency and methods, donor responses, post-test counselling and risk factor assessment. RESULTS: Out of the 29 identified articles, 16 studies were included in the analysis. Repeat testing for initially reactive results was conducted in nine studies for 24.3% reactive donors. Phone calls were the primary notification method in most studies (8; 50%), with letters sent in cases of no response. Only 12 studies provided data on notified donors, revealing a notification rate of 71.2%. Of all initially reactive donors, 33.3% sought post-test counselling. Data from six studies indicated that 74.3% of responsive donors had identifiable TTI risk factors. CONCLUSION: Our review revealed significant variability in the notification processes across different studies. To enhance the management of TTI-reactive donor notifications and responses, we recommend the establishment of universal protocols encompassing pre-donation counselling, repeat/confirmatory testing, notification methods and comprehensive follow-up and treatment.

Reentry of reactive blood donors in Changsha area: a retrospective analysis / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To analyze the reentry of single reagent reactive voluntary blood donors in our center, in order to provide data support and reference for the recall of single reagent reactive blood donors. 【Methods】 Collect the information of eligible blood donors from the information system of our center from January 2019 to September 2023 were collected, and the reentry were tracked and retrospectively analyzed. The demographic characteristics, active reentry rate, and re-donation rate of eligible blood donors were analyzed, and the differences between qualified reentry rates and factors affecting re-donation were compared using chi-square test. 【Results】 A total of 3 361 blood donors met the reentry criteria, with an active reentry rate of 2.7% (91/3 361) and a qualified reentry rate of 80.21% (73/91). The reentry rate of eligible blood donors showed significant differences in terms of different genders(3.3% vs 2.1%), educational background(3.7% vs 2.3%), blood donation frequency(9.3% vs 4.0% vs 1.3%), testing items(7.7% vs 2.7% vs 1.9% vs 1.3%) and blood donation types(18.1% vs 2.0%) (P<0.05). Difference was noticed in the qualified rate of blood donor reentry among different age groups (61.1% vs 94.4% vs 81.8%) (P<0.05). A total of 126 blood donors donated again, with a total volume of 47 800 mL, a re-donation rate of 49.3% (36/73) and a qualified rate of re-donation of 98.4% (124/126), showing a difference between repeat blood donors and first-time donors (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 The active reentry rate of single reagent reactive blood donors in our center is relatively low, but the qualified rate of reentry and the re-donation rate are both high. The re-donation is mainly donation of apheresis platelets, and successful reentry blood donors have a strong willingness to donate blood.

Analysis of HIV testing and reentry of voluntary blood donors / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To evaluate the rationality of detection method and the feasibility of the reentry strategy by analyzing HIV testing results and reentry data retrospectively. 【Methods】 From 2016 to 2020, dual ELISA and once NAT were performed in 501 074 voluntary blood donors for HIV detection. Reactive samples by either test were sent to Xuzhou CDC for Western blot (WB) confirmation test. A total of 102 donors who met the HIV reentry requirements and volunteered to return (interval ≥6 months) were tested by ELISA and NAT again. The negative samples were sent to Jiangsu Provincial Blood Center for confirmation and supplementary experiments, and the confirmed negative donors could return to the team. 【Results】 The reactive rate of one ELISA assay for anti-HIV in voluntary blood donors was 0.09%(447/501 074), and all confirmed anti-HIV negative by CDC. The reactive rate of double ELISA assays for anti-HIV was 0.02%(83/501 074), among which 53 were confirmed HIV infection by CDC, accounting for 0.01%(53/501 074). Among the 65 blood donors who met the reentry requirements and presented negative results, 61 returned to the team successfully by Jiangsu Provincial Blood Center. Forty-five of them donated blood again and 39 passed the screening test. However, the anti-HIV reactive rate (13.33%, 6/45) of reentry donors was still significantly higher than that of common donors (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Due to the high false positivity of one anti-HIV ELISA reagent, false reactive donors who deferred for gray area and and weak positivity of one ELISA assay should be informed the reentry procedure to reduce the waste of blood resources and eliminate the anxiety of blood donors on their own health, so as to promote the sustainable development of voluntary blood donation.

Analysis on shielding,retention and reentry situation of reactive blood donors in Jiangsu Province / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To summarize and analyze the shielding,retention and reentry works of blood donors,and to investigate the feasibility of retention and reentry strategy.Methods The samples of ELISA single reagent reactive/NAT non-reactive and ELISA non-reactive/ NAT reactive were negative by confirmatory tests.Then the blood was weeded out and the donation qualification was reserved.The donors of shielding more than 6 months could propose the reentry application at any blood station in the province,and were allowed to return to the ranks after qualified by routine detection and re-detection by Jiangsu Provincial Blood Center.The unqualified rates were compared between the donors of again blood donation after retention and reentry with the common donors by χ2 test.Results From October 2014 to June 2016,1 615 cases were ELISA single reagent reactive/NAT non-reactive,among which 67 cases were confirmed as positive,42 cases were undetermined and 1 506 cases were negative;831 cases were ELISA non-reactive/ NAT reactive,in which 809 cases were positive by confirmation and 22 cases were negative.A total of 1 528 donors were confirmed as negative and their donation qualifications were reserved,89 donors conducted blood donation again and 79 were qualified in blood detection.The unqualified rate was 11.24%,compared with that of common donors,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.001).Meanwhile,596 donors applied for reentry,among them 218 persons were weeded out by the reentry blood station.In remaining 378 samples sent to Jiangsu Provincial Blood Center,359 samples were qualified and confirmed to the reentry condition.Among them,332 donors conducted blood donation and all were qualified by blood detection.Conclusion The reentry strategy in Jiangsu Province is reasonable and feasible,but the donors retention strategy needs to be further optimized and perfected.