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The accurate estimation of ABO antibody titers is of the utmost importance in organ transplants involving ABO incompatibility. We aim to compare five different methods of titration and analyze the data. Samples of 48 O group blood donors who donated during the month of December 2015 to January 2016 in our institution were subjected to ABO antibody titration by five different methods: immediate spin (IS) tube titer, antihuman globulin phase tube titer, Coomb's gel card titer, gel card titer after dithiotreitol (DTT) treatment of plasma, and the solid phase red cell adherence method. The mean number of titer serial dilution steps in the different titer estimation methods was compared using the paired t-test and McNemar test. A correlation between the methods was tested using Spearman's rho and kappa statistics. The median antiglobulin (AHG) phase tube titers were found to be the highest anti-A (128) and anti-B (192) titers. Significant differences in the ABO antibody titer readings among the five different methods were noted. Titers were reduced by DTT treatment in nearly 50% samples tested for both anti-A and anti-B titers. Average agreements between the DTT-applied AHG phase gel card titers and the solid phase red cell adherence (SPRCA) titers was observed for anti-A (κ = 0.473) and anti-B (κ = 0.530). The AHG phase tube and gel cards titers showed poor agreements. There are differences in the interpretability of the ABO antibody titer among different techniques. Consistent and uniform application of the method for titration throughout the treatment of a patient is highly essential.

Background and Objective Transfusion-transmitted malaria is of great concern in endemic countries. From 1940, the Drugs and Cosmetic Act in India mandates the testing of all blood donations for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg), hepatitis C virus (HCV), malaria and syphilis. The present study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of malaria among blood donors and to summarize our experience with the notification algorithm that was developed for infected donors. Materials and Methods Records of all eligible donors, which were collected between 2011 and 2015, were analysed for the prevalence of malaria. Malaria screening was performed using by WHO-approved immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic test (RDT) (Malascan®; Zephyr Biomedicals, India) for malarial antigen and confirmed by thick and thin blood smear. Those testing positive for malaria were called for post-test counselling. Results A total of 108184 blood donors donated during the analysed period. Twenty-six donors (0·024%) tested positive for malarial antigen by RDT. One (3·8%) of the 18 donors with double band on RDT showed the presence of mixed infection (Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum). Fifteen (83·3%) donors were infected with P. falciparum. In the remaining two (11·1%) positive samples, further analysis by microscopy failed to find any evidence of malaria. There were eight non-falciparum cases of P. vivax. Twenty-one (80·8%) infected donations were avoided by post-test counselling strategy as these donors underwent treatment prior to scheduling their next blood donation. Conclusion Blood donors in our region have a 0·024% prevalence of malaria. With proper donor testing, notification and post-test counselling the rate of TTM can be further minimized.