Analysis of the Reentry Test Results of the Deferred Donors with Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Reactivity

Kang, Jae Won; Jun, Sung Wook; Kwon, So Yong; Oh, Deok Ja

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Since 2004, the donors showing hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) reactive results have been registered in the donor deferral registry (DDR). Some of them can donate blood as eligible donors by passing the reentry tests. We evaluated the results of the reentry tests during 1 year.
METHODS
We tested the samples from 2,230 deferred donors with HBsAg reactivity and 1,668 samples from donors who had a past history of hepatitis B and all these patients required reentry tests. Hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B core antibody and hepatitis B surface antibody were tested for by using ARCHITECT HBsAg (Abbott, Wiesbaden, Germany), ARCHITECT anti-HBc (Abbott), and ARCHITECT anti-HBs (Abbott) and using an ARCHITECT i2000SR (Abbott). Hepatitis B virus DNA was tested for by performing HBV Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) with a COBAS AMPLICOR HBV MONITOR TEST (Roche Molecular Systems Inc., Branchburg, USA) and using a COBAS AMPLICOR (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland).
RESULTS
894 (40.1%) of 2,230 the deferred donors and 880 (52.8%) of 1,668 donors who had a past history of hepatitis B were reentered as eligible donors. 1,171 (30.0%) of the 3,898 tested donors couldn't be released due to positive results on the anti-HBc test and 81.5% of them were also anti-HBs positive.
CONCLUSION
The reentry test seems to be necessary to restore blood donors. But it was considered that the donor showing a reactive result for anti-HBc and a nonreactive result for HBsAg and HBV PCR can be released as eligible donors if the anti-HBs titer is higher than the reference value.