1. Screening for transfusion transmissible infections using rapid diagnostic tests in Africa: a potential hazard to blood safety?
- Author
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Prugger, C, Laperche, S, Murphy, EL, Bloch, EM, Kaidarova, Z, Tafflet, M, Lefrère, J-J, and Jouven, X
- Subjects
Medical Microbiology ,Biomedical and Clinical Sciences ,Immunology ,Hepatitis - C ,Emerging Infectious Diseases ,Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis ,Liver Disease ,Prevention ,Infectious Diseases ,Clinical Research ,Digestive Diseases ,Hepatitis ,HIV/AIDS ,4.2 Evaluation of markers and technologies ,Detection ,screening and diagnosis ,4.1 Discovery and preclinical testing of markers and technologies ,Infection ,Good Health and Well Being ,Africa ,Blood Safety ,Diagnostic Tests ,Routine ,HIV Infections ,Hepatitis B ,Hepatitis C ,Humans ,Mass Screening ,Serologic Tests ,blood transfusion ,hepatitis B ,hepatitis C ,HIV ,rapid diagnostic test ,Clinical Sciences ,Medical Physiology ,Cardiovascular System & Hematology ,Clinical sciences - Abstract
Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are routinely used in African blood centres. We analysed data from two cross-sectional studies representing 95 blood centres in 29 African countries. Standardized panels of sera containing varying concentrations of anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies (Ab), hepatitis B virus antigen (HBsAg) and antihepatitis C virus (HCV) Ab were screened using routine operational testing procedures at the centres. Sensitivity of detection using RDTs was high for HIV Ab-positive samples, but low for intermediately HBsAg (51·5%) and HCV Ab (40·6%)-positive samples. These findings suggest that current RDT use in Africa could pose a hazard to blood safety.
- Published
- 2016