NAT positivity in seronegative voluntary blood donors from western India.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Prevalence and composition of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV-1, NAT positive but seronegative voluntary blood donors from western part of India is yet to be documented.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Over last 2 1/2 years all the seronegative voluntary blood donors were tested using 10 minipools on a semiautomated NAT testing platform. The positively tested donors were followed up for at least five months for development of seropositivity.

RESULTS: 79532 seronegative donations were tested by 10 minipool (MP) NAT leading to 51 positive sample (44 Hep B, 5 HIV 1 and Hep C positive). All the HIV and Hep C NAT positive donors eventually developed seropositivity and out of 44 Hep B NAT positive donors, 31 developed seropositivity within six months of follow up, following counseling of the donors. This data translate into NAT yield of 1:1559 donors for all virus taken together. NAT yield for Hep B 1:1807 donors were much higher than HIV 1 in 1:15906 and HCV yield of 1:39761. Semiautomated minipool NAT testing system was found to be cost effective way for improving blood safety.

INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: Seronegative NAT yield in voluntary blood donors are quiet high in western part of India and in line with rest of the country is mainly due to Hepatitis B infection. Implementation of strict donor screening, Hep B vaccination of the population and sample mutation of NAT testing should be under taken on war footing.