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Screening for transfusion transmissible infections using rapid diagnostic tests in Africa: a potential hazard to blood safety?
Author(s) -
Prugger C.,
Laperche S.,
Murphy E. L.,
Bloch E. M.,
Kaidarova Z.,
Tafflet M.,
Lefrère J.J.,
Jouven X.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1111/vox.12327
Subject(s) - hbsag , medicine , blood transfusion , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , hepatitis c virus , virology , antibody , hepatitis b virus , immunology , hepatitis b , virus
Rapid diagnostic tests ( RDT s) 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 ( HB sAg) and antihepatitis C virus ( HCV ) Ab were screened using routine operational testing procedures at the centres. Sensitivity of detection using RDT s was high for HIV Ab‐positive samples, but low for intermediately HB sAg (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.